Cherry Tomato
by moonhaku
Summary: I hate you. I will ALWAYS hate you. No amount of sweetness or mindblowing kisses is going to change my mind. No matter if I have to live in the same house as you. No matter if you almost die protecting me. I will always hate you, Sasuke Uchiha.[SasuSaku]
1. The Worst Surprise Ever

**.oOo.**

This is an AU fanfic that I just had a sudden inspiration for. Everything will be written from Sakura's POV. The character's relative ages will be around 16 –19.

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, he does Masashi Kishimoto**

**---------------------.oOo.---------------------**

_June 12_

_Dear Diary, _

_Today's the first day of summer vacation. Mother said that we'll be leaving for my uncle house in Kyoto. She said something about old temples and beautiful landscapes. Then she gushed on and on about how it was too bad it wasn't spring and how pretty those cherry blossoms would be. Either way, it seems painfully dull. The only thing that makes it worse is that Sasuke's coming. Ugh! He's that total jerk whose brother owns some big company. I mean, he drop-dead gorgeous with his pale skin and handsome features, but he's such a jerk! One good thing is that I get to see Naruto. He told me that he had something to tell me. I can't wait. He's the adopted son of my uncle's friend. He's not as cute as Sasuke, but he's definitely worth noticing. After all, he's blond with blue eyes! Ohh, I can't wait_

"Sakuraaaaa Sakuraaaa!!!"

What did she want?! And at the worst possible time. I'm busy!!

"Whaaaaaat?!!" I yelled, "Can't it wait?"

Her voice was stern and it sounded like she was impatient.

"You still have to pack!!!"

I groaned. Not now! The trip was still a couple of hours away! I still have plenty of time to pack if I write for a couple of minutes!

"Not now! I'll do it later!"

No reply came from downstairs, I can just imagine my mother shaking her head and muttering about how bad teenagers where these days. I felt a bit more cheerful at the thought. My concentration was broken now. So I locked up my pink diary and stuck into a drawer at my left. After I closed the drawer, I started up my laptop to log onto AIM. While waiting for the computer to load, I stared at the picture from last year. In it, I was smiling as Naruto laughed in the background. Sasuke was cold and aloof as always. I sighed, I am so lucky. Two cute guys to visit in the summer, was more than most people had, even if one was a major jerkface.

_plink_

My computer had automatically logged onto AIM as I was daydreaming and someone was already IMing me! It was XxblondebabexX, or Ino. She was my best friend in Kyoto.

**XxblondebabexX:** hiya billboard brow!

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** hiya ino-pig

**XxblondebabexX:** when r u gona get here?

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** soon. mom's getting on my case about not packing

**XxblondebabexX:** oh, 2 bad. i rele miss u! it's impossible to survive with those two w/o u!!

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** WHAT!!!! they're there already?!

**XxblondebabexX:** yep and they're reading this

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** plz tell me ur kidding

**XxblondebabexX:** caught me. i am

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** whew! so they're not rele there?

**XxblondebabexX:** actually, they r, just not here

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** damn

**XxblondebabexX:** wow

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** what?

**XxblondebabexX:** u cursed

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** so?

**XxblondebabexX: **u usually…, nvm.

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** k

**XxblondebabexX:** just get here soon, k?

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** k

**XxblondebabexX:** there's this major surprise waiting for ya

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** rele? naruto said something about that

**XxblondebabexX:** rele? then I guess u'll find out soon

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** can u tell me now??

**XxblondebabexX:** nope.

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** plz?

**XxblondebabexX:** no can do. cya!

**XxblondebabexX has now signed off.**

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o has now signed off.**

Man, she never keeps secrets this well! It must be something really important. I can't wait!! Wait, what time is it? 3:00?! Augh, we have to leave in 2 hours!!! I have to start packing.

I logged off my laptop and rushed over to my closet. I dragged out my black suitcase and started throwing clothes in. Let's see, a cute furry jacket just in case, and my cherry pink bikini! A few hair accessories, jewelry, shoes, skirts, 2 formal eveningwears and some kimonos. Then I zipped up my suitcase and attended to my furry pink bag. It had a long strap to go over one shoulder and across my waist. I slipped my laptop and my diary into it. Then I stuffed some cute pencils and pens into the side pocket. That should do!

"Sakuraaa, we have to get going!!!"

"Coming, mother!!"

I grabbed the handle of my suitcase and slung my bag across my chest as I hurried downstairs. My mom was just going out the door as I came down.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise."

I laughed happily as I said, "Contrary to popular belief, I don't hole up in my room for the whole summer."

I was relieved that my mom had some humor left in her. My dad and her have been a bit edgy since I dyed my hair pink. They thought it was unnatural, but it's certainly not my fault that they named me Sakura while I had dull brown hair! Pink was perfect for me, it went with my natural turquoise eyes. I've always wondered why my eyes were that color. Everyone else's was black or brown. Except for Naruto, but I suspect that he has some foreign blood in him. Unlike me, I was purely Japanese.

My father had started the car already and beckoned me in. I stepped into the car and sat in the backseat. It was a few hours away from my home in Tokyo. Uncle Hiroishi lived somewhere near the temples in Kyoto. The last time I visited was when I was in fifth grade. That's when I met that unbelievably cute jerkface, Sasuke Uchiha. I met Naruto a year later. He was a lot nicer, although I think that he had a bit of a crush on me. I was still obsessed with Sasuke, no matter how he had turned me down. He never went on a date even though he was always asked. He was gorgeous, he was more popular than of the older students even then. I never really realized what a jerk he was until the beginning of senior high school.

"_Sasuke-kun!! We're in the same homeroom! Let's make this a good year!"_

"…_."_

_Oh well, I guess he's too busy anyway. But he's so cute…swoon…_

"_Bye, Sasuke-kun! Have a good day!"_

_I turned around the corner just to hear another popular boy from school say to Sasuke:_

"_She's cute, cuter than most anyway. Why don't you date her?"_

"_It's none of your business. She's just another idiot fangirl with a facelift, dyed hair and colored contacts."_

"_Harsh words, man. I think she's cute!"_

"_Then why don't you date her?"_

"_Can't you see? She only has eyes for you, and besides, I have a girlfriend already."_

"_Still, she'll go away soon enough."_

"_Yeah. Now, about that trigonometry homework you were supposed to help me with?"_

"_Oh, let's go to the library, I don't want to be mobbed by fangirls again."_

The nerve of him! 'Just another idiot fangirl with a FACELIFT??!!!' That was so insulting. I had no facelift and I don't use colored contacts! That's just the way my eyes are. I wouldn't go to those measures just to impress _him_. Well, actually, maybe I would. But still! You could imagine his surprise when I walked right up to him the next morning and slapped him. Or attempted to, at least. I had forgotten that he was martial arts and kendo champion. He ducked and flipped me over on my back before he smirked and walked away. My arm hurt for the rest of the day and by the end, I hated his guts and wanted nothing more then have a truck make him roadkill.

"We're here!"

Eh? Oh! I guess we arrived while I was daydreaming! I opened the car door quickly and ran across the grassy field to Uncle Hiroishi's huge house.

"Ino-piiiig!!! I'm heereee!!!!!"

My friend ran down from the open door to greet me. We hugged each other while shouting and laughing.

"You're finally here, billboard brow."

"Glad to be here, piggy."

"Welcome to your second home!!"

"C'mon, Ino-pig, I haven't been here since I was what, eight?"

"So? You're here, and that's all that matters. C'mon, let's go to your room!!"

"Okay!"

She dragged me into the house and up 3 flights of stairs and into a huge master bedroom. Sunlight streamed from the glass pentagonal ceiling and 6 huge windows surrounded the whitewashed room. There was a balcony out front. Two plushy queen beds(next to each other) with different bedspreads were in the middle with wooden bedside table with table lamps on them. Another pair of desks was stationed at opposite sides with more lamps. A huge plasma TV screen was across from both the beds. Two doors at either sides revealed walk-in closets. There were two huge bathrooms with a separate shower and Jacuzzi. Other decorations, like windchimes and flowers adorned the room.

"Oh. My. God."

My jaw hung open. It was so beautiful!! This was the room of my dreams!! Beside me, Ino was jumping up and down with excitement.

"Do you like it?"

"I LOVE IT!!"

I shrieked and hugged her.

"When did this exist??!!"

"Since 3 months ago, your uncle added this just for you!"

"Why??"

"I guess it would be safe to tell you now…"

"Tell me what??"

"That you'll be living here for 1 year."

"WHAT?!"

I was astonished. So that was why I finally came. I couldn't believe it. Why this year? Ino's watery blue eyes stared at me, puzzled.

"Aren't you happy?"

"Um…I guess so..but why?"

"Because your mom and dad are going to tour Europe with my mom and dad."

"WHAT?!"

"You didn't know?"

I sunk down on to the feathery bed. When did this happen? Why was I kept in the dark?

"You're not mad are you?"

Finally, I managed a shaky reply.

"No, just surprised."

"Oh, ok. You want to go see the boy's room?"

"Sure! Wait, why are your eyes blue, Ino-pig?"

My friend laughed easily, as if the answer were obvious.

"So I would look better, duh! What's blonde hair without blue eyes? They're colored contacts, unlike your gorgeous turquoise eyes."

"Oh…thanks."

"Now are we going or not?"

"We're going!"

I squealed with surprise as Ino dragged me out the door and the end of the long hallway. She grasped the doorknob and opened it with a flourish. It had the same glass ceiling and balcony. There were walk-in closets and huge bathrooms too. Except the beds were covered with different bedspreads. Instead of windchimes and flowers, there were weapons and scrolls hanging everywhere. Stacks of video games lay next to plasma screen TV with all the video gam consoles known to man. Suddenly, a pair of tan arms wrapped around my waist.

"Hie Sakura-chan! Long time no see!!"

"Naruto-kun!!" I squealed and turned around to hug him,"Hiya!!"

He turned to Ino and asked:

"She knows already, right?"

"Yeah, but she doesn't know about the _other_ one."

"Oh."

Both of their blue eyes sparkled mischievously.

I smiled, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"YEP!!"

Both of them laughed loudly. Before I could confirm my suspicions, I heard a familiar voice behind them.

"Yo."

Sasuke!

"How are you doing, Sakura-san?"

"None of your business," I glared at him. His arrogant expression didn't change as he smirked down at me. Instead of speaking to me, he turned to Naruto and Ino and said, " She's here." My spiteful thoughts stopped in their tracks at his words.

I glared at Ino and Naruto, "_Who's here?_"

At that minute, a lavender clad figure appeared from behind Sasuke. My head snapped at the sound of her light footsteps. As I looked at her, I couldn't take my eyes off. She looked like a model! Or rather, she probably was! She had blue tinted black hair that was tucked behind one ear with a flower. She had gray eyes with streaks of light purple in it. Her skin was pale white and she wearing a gorgeous silk purple kimono with lavender designs on it. Her hands were holding a fan with a silk tassel hanging from it.

Naruto hurried over to her side and led her over to us. They were holding hands. Oh. My. God. It can't be that.

"Sakura-chan, Ino-chan, I'd like to introduce you to Hyuuga Hinata. She's my girlfriend!"

Ino's eyes were wide.

"Naruto-kun! She's so beautiful!"

Then she ran over to Hinata and hugged her. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement.

"I've heard so much about you!! It's so nice to me you in person!!"

"It's nice to see you too, Ino-san."

"No no! It's just Ino! After all, if you're his girlfriend, then you're one of my best friends!"

I was immediately jealous. That girl looked like a super model and her voice sounded so light and musical! She didn't look older than me and seemed pretty shy. I summed up my courage and said:

"Nice to see you, Hinata-san! I'm so surprised!!"

"I wish you luck, Sakura-san."

Her voice was very soft, almost a whisper, but I caught her words. Wishing me luck? For what? Naruto chuckled, "I forgot to tell you, Sakura-chan, she's a bit of a psychic actually."

Now he tells me? Oooo, she's so perfect! What I wouldn't give to be like her. A perfect, thin body, pale white skin and looks that could kill! Now she comes up with a prediction or something? Argh! I tried to calm down as I said:

"Thank you, Hinata-san."

She smiled a mysterious smile and walked away with Naruto at her side.

**.oOo.**

I hope that you enjoyed this! And I note, I don't actually to put "adult language" in here

often. It just fits with the situation sometimes. Thanx for reading and PLEASE REVIEW!!!

moonlight haku


	2. I Hate Myself

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

thank you so much for the reviews & favorites!

If this website didn't have a policy for thanking individual reviewer, I would be naming you! Thanks again and I hope that you like this chapter!

And since I didn't make any background info, Sakura is a 2nd year at her high school.

Which would be a junior.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

June 13 

_Dear Diary, _

_I'm so jealous! Naruto-kun's girlfriend is just so perfect, how am I supposed to compare? She looks like a supermodel and acts so modest. Why would Naruto-kun even like someone like that? He's loud and sometimes obnoxious, but she's just the opposite, seriously. Ino said that she was the daughter of some boss of a some big company. That doesn't make any better, she's beautiful, nice, and rich. Any girl who sees her would immediately want to go see a plastic surgeon, at least I think so. I don't get how Ino acts so unjealous, is that even a word? She usually hates super-pretty girls just as much as I do, I just don't get anything anymore. At first I thought I would be staying here for the summer, now I'm staying here for the whole year? It's my senior year at school! Not that I don't want to stay here, but it seems weird that I never knew anything about this. My parents never even dropped a clue about it until today. I asked them about it last night, and they apologized for not telling me earlier. They said something about a great deal for airplane tickets and that they couldn't wait until I left for college. Besides, I think that they paid a lot for my uncle to take care of us. It's still a bit overwhelming. _

_Yesterday I asked Ino why she wasn't jealous or anything, it was really surprising. _

I paused and thought back to yesterday evening, right after I met Hinata-san.

_I turned around to Ino and dropped my fake smile. _

"_Um, why are you so happy, Ino?"_

"_Why shouldn't I be?"_

"_Because! She's utterly gorgeous and—"_

"_Shh, don't say anymore. Let's go to our room."_

_She put a warm hand over my mouth and dragged me across the hallway. As I looked back, Sasuke turned around and waved. He had a smile on his face, he totally hates me! It was like the kind of smile that a student gives to their most hated teacher. Then he narrowed his eyes..and smirked at me! I heard Ino open the door and felt her drag me onto my bed. I turned around and faced her. She looked expectant, like nothing could scare her or surprise her now. _

"_Ok, one question, why are you jealous again?"_

_Obviously, this wasn't the real Ino. _

"_First of all, who are you and what did you do to the real Ino?"_

_A bright musical laugh filled the room. She thinks this is funny? I was dead serious! Why doesn't anybody take me seriously anymore?_

"_I'm the real Ino, big forehead, now will you answer my question?"_

_I looked at her suspiciously, I wasn't really convinced. But nevertheless, I had to talk. _

"_Because she makes me feel like I need to see the plastic surgeon. Didn't you see her? She's so pretty and psychic and ..and…"_

_My voice faltered, I couldn't believe what I was turning into. A jealous prat girl. I always hated those jealous types, and now I was turning into one of them. Well, now I understand the feeling and totally support them. But that still didn't make me happy, what was I turning into?  
_

"_You know, just because someone is pretty and nice doesn't mean that you have to be jealous. You have to admit, we are no competition to her."_

"_Can you tell me more about her though? You said that you've heard so much about her, Ino-pig."_

"_Yeah, as soon as Naruto-kun came over a few days ago, she was the only thing he talked about. He said that they met when he was walking home or delivering food or something. Anyway, it was more like a love at first sight thing. But it's going to be pretty hard for anything to come out of it. He's adopted and she comes from one of the richest families in Japan. From what I hear, she's really shy and prefers traditional clothes like kimonos. But I also heard that she's really good at martial arts and came in second or third in the nationals. Her voice is like an angel's and the psychic ability was inherited. That's all I know."_

"…………_."_

"_Um, are you okay, Sakura?"_

_That was a lot to absorb. Now she really seemed perfect…ugh!_

_My expression must've been shocked or just plain depressed because Ino just stopped staring and reach into a drawer at the bedside table. She pulled out a picture frame with some picture in it. _

"_I bet that you're wondering why I'm not jealous right?"_

_I nodded numbly, that had been on my mind for a while. She flipped the picture frame over and showed it to me. _

"_That's why."_

_I looked at it, it was a picture of Ino at the beach with some boy that had a lazy look in his eyes and black hair that was tied up. I couldn't believe it, who in the world was he? Why was he at the beach with her? _

"_He's my boyfriend, Nara Shikamaru. He lives about 10 minutes away. His family basically take care of all the wild deer in the parks around this part of Kyoto. I met him at school, he moved from some smaller city." _

_Why was everyone coming up with boyfriends are girlfriends?! Why was I the only one left behind? I bet even that jerk, Sasuke had a girlfriend already. _

"_Wow…Ino, this is a big surprise..congrats…"_

"_You're not happy, are you?"_

"…_."_

"_Fine, I can understand, but you're still my best friend! Let's not talk about this anymore. You want to go swimming?"_

"_Okay, where?"_

_I shook my head to clear the thoughts and looked at Ino questioningly. Where was the swimming pool? It had to be in the city, right? Her aqua eyes sparkled._

"_There's so much that I haven't showed you yet! C'mon!"_

I looked up at the glass ceiling. The sun was shining through it and I could hear birds chirping. Ino was still sleeping when I closed up my diary. My parents had brought the rest of my stuff, and unpacked it last night when I slept. Now they were on their way to France with Ino's parents. They were probably having more fun than I was. I put my diary into the furry pink bag and slipped out my pink laptop. It had a plastic imprint of a few cherry blossom petals. It was a birthday present from last year. I started it up and logged onto AIM.

_plink_

**XXfoxninja007: **g'morning sakura

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **mornin' naruto

**XXfoxninja007: **r u mad

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **no, should I be?

**XXfoxninja007: **I just thought that since u didn't look 2 happy..

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **yeah, I was jealous at frst..but it's ok now

**XXfoxninja007: **that's a relief

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **yeah. whatcha doin'?

**Xxfoxninja007: **just playing video games w/ sasuke

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **this early?

**XXfoxninja007: **yep, didn't sleep a wink last night

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **y?

**XXfoxninja007: **worried about u

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **blush

**XXfoxninja007: **now that I know ur not mad, I can rest

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **will hinata mind that we're talking?

**XXfoxninja007: **nah. she's right here

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **WAUGH!!! u baka! u didn't even warn me!!

**XXfoxninja007: **don't worry, Sakura-san…I don't mind

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **eh?

**XXfoxninja007: **that was hinata. she'll be joining the convo. from her laptop.

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **OO

**palelavenderflower has joined the conversation.**

**XXfoxninja007: **hi hinata

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **g'morning -

**palelavenderflower: **hello Sakura-san.

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **just call me sakura

**palelavenderflower: **thank you, sakura

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **how was your nite?

**palelavenderflower: **fine, thank you. it was fun watching Sasuke-san and Naruto play Halo2

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **o. wish that I was there

**palelavenderflower: **how about today?

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **thanx, but 2day, ino and I are going to visit the shinto shrine and her boyfriend

**XxblondebabexX has logged on.**

**XxblondebabexX has joined the conversation. **

**XxblondebabexX: **hiya guys! um, we're going 2 a shinto shrine..?

**palelavenderflower: **hello, Ino-chan

INO?! I looked over, sure enough she had crept off her bed and had taken out her light blue laptop and was typing furiously. I turned my attention back to the screen.

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **hi yourself Ino-pig!And yes, now we are.

**palelavenderflower: **can I join you? I'd like to meet Nara Shikamaru in person.

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **ack! how'd u know?

**palelavenderflower: **blush I'm psychic, remember?

**XxblondebabexX: **yeah, sakura! where r u now, hinata?

"Right here."

A quiet voice came from the balcony. Ino and I turned from the computer screen just in time to see Hinata come into our room via the balcony. Ino ran and hugged her hard.

"You really scared us for a second! How did you get here?"

A shy smile crossed Hinata's face, " I sneaked into your room while you were typing…"

Her voice seemed to blend with the breeze. It was so musical and gentle! I signed of AIM and crept off my bed, I smiled a bit, she _was_ still a stranger.

"Good to see you Hinata-san."

"Just call me Hinata."

"Okay, thanks! By the way, how old are you? You look so sophisticated!"

She blushed a bit at my statement," I'm only 16…"

Whoa! I was 17 and so was Ino, we were both a year older than her! But if you took one glance at her, we would be labeled as her little sisters, we couldn't even compare against a sixteen-year-old. How embarrassing. Wait, that meant that Naruto was 2 years older than her; he should be 18. What did that prove? Nothing, just that she was still a lot better than us. I wonder how old the Nara boy is. From the looks of it, he might be a bit older, but as Hinata just proved, looks can be really misleading. I looked her over once. She was wearing a green silk kimono today. There were little jeweled butterflies perched in her loose hair and she was holding a fan with a light green tassel. Some silk slippers covered her feet. Augh, she was still absolutely gorgeous! So yesterday wasn't just my imagination!

"Sakura-chan, what are you staring at?"

Her soft, musical voice led me out of my daydream. I felt my face flush because they were both staring at me. I had been staring in absolute amazement at Hinata, even though Ino seemed hardly fazed. I suddenly felt insignificant. Side by side, they looked like a pair of supermodels. I hadn't even noticed how skinny Ino's waist was and how pretty she looked up until now. I didn't really look that way.

I gave myself a once over, yep, it was no different from last year. I was skinny, but not in a good way, like Ino or Hinata. My pink hair didn't shine like theirs since it was dyed and my skin looked dry and uneven. Or is it just my over active imagination?

Perhaps Ino sensed my discomfort because she led Hinata out of the room while rambling on about beauty product and hair care. I ran over to my bed and quickly slipped out of my pajamas. I pulled a pink T-shirt that said "Dubble Bubble" on it and put on tan short-shorts. I tied my pink hair up in a ribbon and stuck my feet in some of my pink heelies. Sliding across my room, I was to distracted with my hair that I bumped into someone in the hallway. I had suddenly found my face buried into some person's navy blue T-shirt. I looked up, and there he was. My nemesis, Sasuke. Why did I have to bump into _him_ ?

"Watch where you're going, freak."

"Jerk."

"Fangirl."

"Bimbo."

"Geek."

"Baka."

"Nerd."

Crap. I'd run out of insults already. Jerkface wasn't an option since I'd already called him 'jerk'…alright, he wins this time. After glaring at him, I ran down the stairs to find Ino (and hopefully, not Hinata). I could feel his superior expression burn into the back of my skull. I looked back to glare at him and my foot missed a step.

"Augh!"

And, so I landed in a heap at the end of the staircase. My head felt really sore and I was sure my hair was messed up.

"Oh gosh, are you okay, Sakura?"

It seemed like Ino had started to realize that I was supposed to be her best friend, and not Hinata. Then I looked up a little to see Hinata with a concerned expression on her face. Like I need sympathy from her. Now she probably thinks that I'm clumsy _and_ ugly. Determined to prove the thought in my head wrong, I grabbed the railway of the stairs and attempted to get up on my aching legs.

"Y'know, Sakura, you should really lie down for a while. Those stairs are made of marble and you took a really long fall."

"It's okay, I'm fine."

Footsteps came down hurriedly from the top of the stairs. Oh god, I don't have time for this.

"You alright, freak?"

Please, get me away from him!!! Someone? Unwillingly, I lifted up my head just to see Sasuke with a…..sympathetic look on his face?! I must be dreaming. Somebody pinch me! Sasuke, concerned for my well being? I'm definitely going crazy, maybe I _should_ go lie down a bit.

"_I'm fine, Sasuke._"

There, that weird and completely unnatural expression was totally wiped from his face. Finally, I've managed to get out that alternate universe! I thought that I was going crazy. He smirked and walked away with his hands in his pocket.

"Are you sure, billboard brow?"

"Yes, I am! Now would you _please_ stop asking me?!"

That came out sharper than I had intended, my face flushed and I limped wordlessly to the kitchen. Gosh, Sakura, you don't have to snap at them. Don't talk to me like that, you are me! Ack! Now I'm talking to myself? Just like that freakish goblin thingy in Lord of the Rings. Ew. I felt a shudder pass through my body.

It was all _her_ fault, I haven't really been my cheery self ever since _she _showed up.

"Who showed up?"

Oh no! I must've been thinking out loud! Ino was once again staring at me with her watery blue eyes. By the look in them, she's already guessed.

"Y'know, Sakura, you haven't been the same since Hi-"

"It's okay, Ino, let it go. Let's go get breakfast."

Saved by Hinata, why did she have to be so frickin' nice?! Now I feel like that brat that I probably am. She took my hand and Ino's and pulled us toward the kitchen. I slumped down onto one of the stools that were lined up against the marble countertop. There were scrambled eggs and hash browns. Yum. I reached across the counter for the ketchup and squirted some onto the eggs while pushing them around my plate. Ino dropped the subject and started to chatter away with Hinata.

The eggs were really good, but I wasn't really in the mood to eat. I picked at it and ate a few mouthfuls.

"Gosh, big forehead, why aren't you eating? These are really good!"

"I'm just not hungry…"

"I am! Well, I really should be dieting, but I guess eggs are supposed to be healthy even though these hash browns are a bit oily."

"…I'm gonna go up to my room…"

I felt horrible, not just because I bumped my head on the stairs, but because I just couldn't seem to treat Hinata the way she deserved to be treated. I limped to the staircase and climbed it veeeerrry slowly, all the while wincing from the pain my knees were giving me. I hated getting hurt. But I seem to be a magnet for trouble these days.

First, I get the big news that I have to stay here for a year. Then my parents are going to tour Europe, and that Naruto has a divine girlfriend that came from the heavens.

Okay…that might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but I had to admit, it was pretty close to the truth. She did look like an angel, a purple one, at least.

Then Sasuke's here, that wasn't exactly a surprise, and neither was Ino's new boyfriend, now that I think about it. Then a horrible idea entered my idea. If my parents were touring Europe, and Ino's were, what if Sasuke's or Naruto's parents were too?

Must. Not. Think. That.

I CANNOT live with that jerk for a whole year and a half. It's not possible! Who knows what could happen?? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I'm going to die.

Seriously.

That can't happen, Ino would've told me, right?

To Be Continued… 

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

thanx for reading and PLZ REVIEW!!! Hope that you liked this chapter!

moonlight haku

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**


	3. Time Moves On

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

here's the third chapter!

THANX FOR ALL YOU REVIEWS!!

**Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me…**

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

**Recap:**

Then Sasuke's here, that wasn't exactly a surprise, and neither was Ino's new boyfriend, now that I think about it. Then a horrible idea entered my idea. If my parents were touring Europe, and Ino's were, what if Sasuke's or Naruto's parents were too?

Must. Not. Think. That.

I CANNOT live with that jerk for a whole year and a half. It's not possible! Who knows what could happen?? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I'm going to die.

Seriously.

That can't happen, Ino would've told me, right?

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

Before, I had hated myself.

Now I loathe and abhor myself.

Not much of a difference, but still there is a little.

Hate, is disliking someone or something with extreme intensity. While loathe and abhor lack the word 'extreme'.

I actually checked the dictionary, or the online one. Same difference.

After I had made it up the stairs earlier, I pulled a pack of fruit gummies out of my bag. Maybe I had foresaw this awful feeling(since Sasuke would be here), or I just had a sweet tooth. Whatever the reason, I felt horrible and they were the perfect comfort food.

I loved the cherry flavored ones (an influence of my name, perhaps?) and didn't seem to like the grape ones, at least not today. They were purple, and whenever I saw them, it reminded me of how horribly jealous I was.

I never liked being jealous. It felt devilish, like I wanted to do something that was utterly unforgivable.

If I did something to hurt Hinata, I think that Ino will kidnap me (one of the lesser evils), Naruto will murder me and Hinata's father will feed my remains to his Dobermans. And Sasuke will just stand there, laughing at my unfortunate demise (the worst thing I could think of).

Hm, that was a scary thought.

I shall refrain from doing any harm as a result of this hypothetical situation.

"Sakuraaaa!!!!" A loud voice traveled up the staircase as footsteps grew increasingly louder.

"Whaaaaat?"

"We have to gooooo!!!"

Oh yeah! We were still going to meet Shikamaru…but I wonder if I even want to go anymore…

"Come on, billboard brow!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Ok, ok!!"

Without even pausing the think, I raced (skated) down the hallway and took care not to trip .The heelies were great for my bruises since I didn't have to move much with them on. When I reached the first floor, Ino and Hinata were already heading out.

Then Ino turned around and I ran towards her.

"Don't forget about me, Ino-pig!"

She smiled innocently and then ran out the door while dragging me behind her. Everyone sweat dropped. In a few seconds, she had pulled open the door of her red convertible and drove out onto the road like a madman—er, madwoman—or something like that.

I enjoyed the feeling of wind in my hair even though I regretted not putting any hair gel into it. My hair must be really messed up now! I undid the ribbon that was holding my hair up in an attempt to smooth it down. I now know never to do that again. Why, you ask? Because…

""Waugh! I can't get my hand out of my hair!!"

I started to shake Ino's shoulders with my free hand.

"Ok, okay!! We'll take care of it later1 Don't make me crash, Sakuraaaaaaaa!!"

"EEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"

The car skidded to a stop just in front of a red light. I looked back and winced. There was a long, black skid mark behind us, it was at least ten feet long. Ouch.

Ino looked at me and growled. She obviously wasn't very happy.

"I just got this car! Don't make me crash it just like your last one!"

I smiled nervously, then I pointed to my hair.

"Um..can you get my hand out of this mess?"

She sweat dropped. Then her shoulders started shaking and her face took on a dark hue. I fear that I have just provoked cardiac arrest. Uh oh.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

"Huh?"

She was laughing and tears were coming out of her eyes. Everyone else beside us were staring, I have never hated a convertible this much before.

I swear that I just saw someone from the other side of the street turn around and call 911 on us.

I pushed a button on the front of her car and the hood rose and covered us. As it was closing I glared at everyone around us and shouted, "SHOWS OVER, EVERYONE. NOW STOP STARING AT US AND GO AWAY!!!!"

Everyone else blanched and drove off.

BEEP BEEP

The car behind us blew their horn and without looking, I leaned halfway out my window (with my hand still stuck to my hair) and yelled, "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!!! WE"LL GET GOING, NOW STOP BEEP—ing…"

"Just get a move on it, freak," I needed to start looking before I speak—er, shout—yeah, the car behind us was a blue contertible. One that could only belong to Sasuke.

My face flushed crimson as I ducked back in the car and Ino started driving again. Apparently, as I was busy embarrassing myself in front of everyone, Ino had recovered and stopped laughing enough to drive decently. I became temporarily mute as I sat in the front seat, stuck hand and all.

A few minutes later, we had arrived. My hair was still stuck and I had no way of getting it out. I tried to get out of the car with my other hand and failed miserably.

"Here, let me help."

A bright and musical voice offered. I looked up and saw Hinata.

"Since when were you he—"

"She was here the whole time, Sakura!"

I looked down gloomily, first I'm jealous, and now I forget she's here….change of plans. I still hate myself.

"Hey..are you okay?"

"Yeah…"

I shuddered and took a long breath. No reason to shed any tears over this, right? Ino looked at me with concern and then turned her attention to my homicidal hair. I swear, this pink hair wants to kill me or something.

"I think that you'll need a new hair cut…"

"WHAT?! I can't do that!!"

Ino winced, she knew how much pride I took in my waist-length hair. It had taken a whole school year to grow it that long. Not to mention the money spend on special shampoos and conditioners and pink dyes.

"How'd you do this anyway? I thought your hair was in a ponytail."

"I undid it to smooth it down a little. And now it's stuck!"

"Oh."

"I can cut your hair now, if you'd like…"

"Actually, it's okay…"

"No, I insist, Sakura-chan!"

I looked up in amazement as Hinata took a comb, scissors and a water bottle out of her bag. I smiled nervously, I had always been touchy about my hair. The only people I had allowed to touch it were my mother, me and Ino.

She gestured toward the open car door and led me to the front seat while she resumed her seat in the back.

It felt weird having my hair done in an open field right by a shrine, by an almost complete stranger, no less!

I felt her hands carefully snip my hand free and then move on the rest of my hair. For some strange reason, I felt like crying when I felt locks of glorious pink hair tumble down from my head. An eternity later, she handed me a mirror.

Oh. My. God.

It was so perfect! My hair was layered and had a sort of messy, yet neat look and the longest lock came down just above my shoulders. This was a look that I've always wanted but never dared to attempt.

This is the place where I'm supposed to say that all my jealous feelings have disappeared. For some reason, they only grew stronger. I wasn't too happy that she knew how to do a killer haircut. It just made her even more perfect.

"Thanks," I said stiffly. Then I got up and walked away while yelling, "C'mon Ino! Let's go!!"

"Way ahead of you," Ino dashed toward me and dragged me into the trees. Everyone sweat dropped. Again.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

_June 20_

_Dear Diary,_

_It has now officially been a week since I came to Kyoto. I'm going to start some college classes in a few weeks. That's the only highlight so far, it turns out that part of the reason that I came here was because I had been accepted by Kyoto University a year early, something about my exceptional grades and effort. Ino was accepted, and Sasuke-san and Naruto-kun are going there after the summer. I heard that Hinata-san's father paid a lot of money for him (Naruto-kun) to go there. After about a week, I don't really feel that jealous anymore. I have no idea why, maybe because I'm just used to her perfection or I just accepted it. She's practically a friend now, even though she stole Naruto's heart away. Ino's fascination with her have gradually vanished and we're best friends again. It's not that we weren't, but I just didn't feel like it when she clung to Hinata-san all the time._

_Shikamaru-kun is really nice, even though he may as well be the laziest person in the whole universe. He's this super genius, even smarter than I am! It just makes it even better that he's super cute. Anyway, even though he doesn't have much money, he's attending Kyoto University through scholarships after the summer too. Except he's only our age, so it makes it even better. Ino's so lucky, she had a cute and smart boyfriend who is also nice. Sasuke's way cute, and smart, but he's still a big jerk._

_Yesterday, we went to a big dinner party for some engagement of my Uncle's friends. It was really boring, except we were all allowed to have different types of expensive wine. Ino got drunk and had to come back early. She says that she still has a really bad hangover. She's moaning over and over about never drinking again. But I bet that she will, this isn't the first time she's been drunk._

I headed over to Ino's bed, where she was still moaning and mumblin softly in her sleep. It was already ten o'clock, but she had a hangover and I think that the rest of us, except for Shikamaru-kun, had come back at around four or five in the morning. Shikamaru-kun drove Ino home, since she was too drunk.

I left her bed and changed from my pj's to a green and pink shirt with lace around the edges. I pulled on my jeans and walked out the door. I heard some weird noises coming out of Naruto and Sasuke's bedroom, they must be playing Halo 2 or something. I opened up the door a little to check up on them.

They were lying half out of their beds and groaning from hangovers. Sasuke cursed at Naruto cursed back at him. Trust me, you don't want to see this. I backed out quietly and ran down the stairs.

I'm never drinking wine again.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

"Do we have to go?"

"Hai. Sakura, don't ask again, you won't get out of it. Now get ready!"

"Gomen…"

Uncle Hiroishi stepped out of our bedroom to give us room to dress. We're going to a wedding this time. I hope they don't have wine at the party afterwards, the last one gave everyone a hangover for half the day.

That was two weeks ago, now everone had forgotten the cruelty of a hangover and were probably thinking of having even more wine this time. Ugh, why was I the only voice of reason around here?!

"Hey Sakura, can I borrow you blue heels?"

"Sure Ino, just don't twist your ankle on them."

"I won't!"

I laughed as Ino pouted. All three of us were dressing up for the wedding. Ino was going to wear a blue and white silk dress with my two inch blue shoes. Hinata wearing a short version of a white and lavender kimono that she usually wears and flat lavender slippers. I was going to wear a silkly red dress that came down to my ankles but had a slit along the sides that almost reached somewhere indecent. My shoes were going to be bright red with three inches.

Ino was applying a truckload of make up on her face and had attempted to do the same with mine. I ran away and Hinata was running after me with Ino.

One thing that I've learned these past few weeks 1) Hinata's not perfect 2) I'm not jealous anymore and 3) I still hate Sasuke. Yep, I still do. Three weeks with him doesn't change my feelings one bit. He's still a jerk, even if he is slightly concerned for my well-being( remember the stairway incident?).

"How long are you going to run? We have to get going!"

"Ok, okay!" We all collapsed on top of each other and started to giggle. Uncle Hiroishi shook his head impatiently and walked out. Ino was first to get up, since she was on top, the Hinata, then me. We straightened ourselves out and walked out of our room one by one. Ino was the first to go down, then Hinata, then me. By now, I've noticed how I was always last. Very disturbing.

Last to get a boyfriend, last to get up, last to know any secrets, last to walk out of the room, last to…anything!

When I had made it down the last flight of stairs, I saw Hinata and Naruto together, Ino and Shikmaru, my Uncle and my Aunt and Sasuke. Please don't tell me—

"Sakura dear, why don't you go with Sasuke dear here?"

I have never hated being single as much as now.

I groaned and walked towards him veeeerrrry slowly. When I reached him, he smirked and reached out his hand. With everyone staring, I had to take it. Ew. I'm definitely washing my hands later.

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

"How could you!"

"I'm so sorry, please forgive me!"

"No! You cheated on me, and I'm leaving, forever!"

"Wait! Don't go!"

Ino looked back from the front seat.

"That's so stupid. He should chase her out the door or at least follow her instead of just standing there. Right, big forehead?" Ino stared critically at the laptop screen.

"Nah, she should at least give him a second chance. I mean, he does really love her!"

"But, Sakura, he cheated on her!!!"

"So? Everyone makes mistakes!!"

"Yeah, Ino, she should forgive him!"

"Not like this! She should leave him forever!"

We stopped at a red light and Sasuke took this opportunity to turn around.

"Why do girls even watch this crap?"

"Yeah, it's so boring!!" Naruto apparently agreed with him.

All three of us, including Hinata, turned and shouted at the guys, "IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, IT"S YOUR STINKIN' PROBLEM!!!!"

Their faces turned white and Sasuke turned his eys back on the road and Naruto looked innocently out the window. We were all sitting in Sasuke's navy blue convertible. The hood was down and everyone beside us were staring at us. To bide the time away, Ino, Hinata and I were watching a popular TV drama. It had bad acting and predictable plot lines, but we still loved it.

After an hour, we had arrived and our voiced were hoarse from debating about the ethis of "second chances", it got complicated and everyone around us had learned to tune it out. Good for them, if they had interfered, our frustration might've broke out in a massive homicide.

Then we would get arrested, go to court and receive the death sentence. But before that, Hinata's father will buy Hinata out of jail by blackmail and a couple hundred million yen. Then Ino and I will perish at the hands of a firing squad.

I've got to stop making these predictions.

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

The whole wedding was uneventful until the actually ceremony. It turns out that my my Aunt Kyoko was getting married. I hope her husband never cheat on her. An awkward little flower girl and a really tall ringbearer completed the ceremony. The only interesting thing was when Aunt Kyoko threw her flowers in the air and announced that the after party would be in a downtown club called the Kunai.

Oh, and one thing.

I caught the flowers.

**To Be Continued…**

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sorry about this chapter, it was really boring and uneventful. And to all you sasusaku fans, the next chapter will be chock full of sasusaku fluff and goodness, although not in your usual way….

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!

moonlight haku


	4. The Kunai

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Since that last chapter was a bit boring, this chapter is full of SasuSaku goodness 

Although not in the way you'd quite expect…kukuku

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did, Sakura would be dead, Naruto would disappear, Sasuke would go with Hinata…(rambles on for six hours)….

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

**Recap:**

The whole wedding was uneventful until the actually ceremony. It turns out that my Aunt Kyoko was getting married. I hope her husband never cheat on her. An awkward little flower girl and a really tall ring bearer completed the ceremony. The only interesting thing was when Aunt Kyoko threw her flowers in the air and announced that the after party would be in a downtown club called the Kunai.

Oh, and one thing.

I caught the flowers.

---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------

Ino, Hinata, Naruto, Sasuke and the rest of the crowd parted like the Red Sea and stared at me. I caught the bouquet of flowers, so what? They were pretty. And pink.

Wait. Oh crap.

I am **definitely** not getting married or engaged anytime soon. I glared at everyone and then they quickly turned away and resumed their conversation. I heard snippets of conversations about a pink haired girl and a cute black haired boy. It took all my will power not to crush everyone in the reception area. Sasuke came up behind me and pulled me away from the crowd. I shuddered, I'm taking a shower with extra cleansing material tonight.

"Come on, we should get to the Kunai soon. Everyone else is leaving."

"Don't talk to me, chicken butt hair."

"At least I didn't get my hand stuck to my hair."

I pouted and attempted to stomp away. My ankle twisted and in a second, I was sprawled out on the floor. Sasuke ran over…wait, SASUKE RAN OVER??!!!! I panicked and tried to stand up, but my ankle just wouldn't hold any weight. He came and touched my ankle lightly.

"Are you okay, Sakura?"

I shuddered a bit from his touch. My face must've been white because he called for Shikamaru and Naruto. He helped me up(I couldn't refuse since my ankle refused to cooperate) and I limped away from the dissipating crowd. Shikamaru and Naruto came hurrying out the convertible and helped Sasuke carry me back to the convertible.

Ino saw me coming and her eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

"Omigosh Sakura, are you alright?"

"Yeah," I winced as I sat down beside her, "Just a sprained ankle."

"Can you still come to the Kunai?"

"Yeah! Of course! I'll just sit there and watch you go dance."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, don't worry."

"Okay…"

I turned and looked at the darkening night sky. It was a lot to take in, first I catch the flowers, then I fall, then Sasuke helps me (I know, weird, right?), and then…and then…I have no idea why, but I think that something will happen tonight….

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

"We're here!"

"AWESOME!!! THE KUNAI!!!!!"

Ino leaped up and ran into Shikamaru's arms and then dragged him through the door. Everyone sweat dropped. Again. Hinata clung onto Naruto and walked away. I opened the car door and tried to limp out. I stumbled and almost fell.

Except someone had caught me.

I looked up and saw Sasuke's face , he had grabbed my arm when I fell. I glared him, muttering, "Thanks.."

For once, he didn't reply and instead helped me into the building and onto a chair by the counter. I couldn't believe it, I hated Sasuke, he hated me, or was that just an illusion? He walked over the receptionist and signed in for both of us and helped me get into a small couch by the wall where my friends were sitting. They all had a mischievous look in their eyes. I didn't like it. When I had settled down, Ino looked like she had something to say, but then one of her favorite songs came on. She opted to grab the chance to drag Shikamaru onto the dancing floor.

Before following Naruto onto the dance floor, Hinata whispered to me, "Believe in your heart, Sakura."

Then she smiled and walked away to dance with Naruto. I stared at Sasuke, who was sitting beside me.

"Why don't you go and pick a date?"

"Nah. Besides, if I left, your friends would all kill me, ne?"

For some reason, I blushed. I grabbed a cup of water and downed it to cool myself down. I wasn't used to Sasuke being nice to me. But then, I haven't made any real contact with him since that day…maybe he's changed….I shook my head. It's not possible. He's still a jerk. No matter what he did to help me. Maybe he just forgot to take his medicine today.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. To break the uncomfortable silence, I offered a question, "Why'd you help me today?"

"Cuz you're hurt, duh."

"oh."

I blushed again.

"Why don't you go dance, Sasuke? I bet that anyone would dance with you."

"No."

"Is it just because of my friends? You can go—"

"No."

"Then why?"

"Because the girl I want to dance with isn't available."

"Oh."

We sat in silence again. I wonder who Sasuke liked? And why did I even care? Why was I even talking to him? Without thinking, I asked another question, "Who is she?"

"Right in front of me."

I assumed that meant people living in out house. Or near us.

"Ino?"

Now that would be plain wrong.

"No."

"Um…Hinata?"

"No."

That would be wrong too.

"That cute waitress?"

"NO! DAMMIT!!! IT'S YOU!!!"

I was shocked. He wants to dance with me?! That jerk wants to dance with me? The person he hates the most? Or maybe not. He has to be lying. But….

I must've looked hurt or frightened because his face became apologetic and then he turned away.

"Gomen…"

I don't get it.

"Liar."

I don't believe it.

"I'm not lying."

He must be.

"Don't lie to me Sasuke Uchiha!"

"I'm not, dammit! The person I like, I want to dance with, is YOU!!"

By that time, I was hyperventilating and partly hysterical. I didn't get it. He hates me, and I hate him. Right? Right?

"Sasuke, I-I"

I didn't have time to finish my sentence because he had leaned over and captured my lips in a light kiss. When I didn't respond, he kissed me harder and then my mind had finally caught up. For some bizarre reason, I kissed back. My arms up and around his neck as I clung to him. By this time, I wasn't thinking anymore.

I shifted my weight and somehow ended up on his warm lap. His tongue had somehow got into my mouth and was exploring it. It felt great, and I forgot everything around and about me. I just needed to kiss him.

I brought his head closer to mine to instinctively deepen the kiss. The simple little kiss was turning in a mess of a make out. He was pressing me to the back of the couch to get even closer. He wrapped one arm around me to bring my chest even closer to his.

We finally parted for a little breather, but by that time, I was beyond thinking. He grabbed me and captured my lips once again in a bruising kiss, after the longest time, we moved apart for two seconds and then he started to kiss me lightly up and down my neck. My hand subconsciously moved through his hair as I moaned softly. It was definitely the best feeling that I've had for a while now.

Then he traveled up and licked my earlobe, then he resumed kissing my mouth as roughly as ever. This time, he allowed my tongue to go into his mouth and taste him. It was the best thing I had ever felt, then we pulled apart for a small breather when I heard someone next to me.

"Hey, go get a room!!"

"Maybe we should," Sasuke's eyes stared down at me hungrily.

I nodded for God knows what reason and then he carefully lifted me bridal style to small enclosed space nearby. Then he lay me down against the soft couch and resumed our massive make out session.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

_July 5_

_Dear Diary, _

_What's happening to me? I don't know anything anymore…_

I thought back to last night.

_I was moaning softly while Sasuke was landing butterfly kisses along my collarbone. He had one hand around my waist and another had started to travel up my thigh, via the slit in the dress, almost to places to indecent to mention. I moaned even more with his touch and then he took that opportunity to kiss me softly, swallowing up those moans. After an eternity, we separated and then our minds reconnected with out heads. _

_Somehow, one side of my strapless red dress had come off and my hair had become messy. Sasuke didn't have a shirt on and his hair was ruffled up a bit. I yelped and readjusted my dress while Sasuke struggled to put on his navy blue shirt. He looked at me remorsefully and said, "I'm sorry…"_

_Then he helped me up off the couch and took me outside for a breath of fresh air. My head was spinning. Sasuke kissed me. He kissed me. Sasuke. Kissed. ME. _

_I KISSED SASUKE. _

_Is my life over yet? Why did I even kiss him? Why did it feel so good? Why?! 'Believe in your heart, Sakura…' It was Hinata's voice. Did she know this would happen? Why didn't she warn me? _

_But she did. But she said to believe in my heart. My heart felt right, and my heart had said to kiss Sasuke. But…years of thinking that I hated him…how could I just erase it in one night? I wish that it could be like in the movies, where I could just feel completely at peace with it. That I could just renounce all I had believed all these years. But I couldn't…_

_Sasuke looked remoseful as we sat outside on a bench, looking at the stars. Maybe he was a bit sorry too? I didn't have time to consider that as Ino flew out of the club to meet us. She got to me and gawked at me. Or rather, my neck. Then she squealed._

"_OMIGOSH SAKURA!!! IS THAT A HICKEY???!!!!! OMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSH!!!!!!"_

_I had a hickey? ACK!! _

"_Ino, don't embarrass her…"_

_Hinata came to my rescue, one point for the psychic!_

"_But, I want to know!!!!"_

_Ino was practically jumping up and down. Hinata gave her a stern glare that surprised me, and probably Ino too, because she stopped and sighed. _

"_Fine…"_

_She looked disappointed then she ran to meet Shikamaru. _

"_SHIKA-KUN!!! SAKURA HAS A HIC—"_

_Then Hinata dragged her away and said to a very confused Shikamaru, "Sakura has the hiccups. That's all."_

_Then she smiled innocently and dragged Ino back to the convertible. Everyone outside sweat dropped. _

_I tried to get up to follow them, but had forgotten about my injured ankle. Then Sasuke did something totally unexpected. He lifted me off my feet and carried me over to the car and put me down. Ino's eyes were gleaming. Naruto and Shikamaru came and I dozed off as I heard Hinata thwart more of Ino's attempts to tell the others about my hickey. _

_I woke up when we stopped and then Sasuke helped me out and I limped into the building and he carried me up the stairs. He put me on my bed and after looking at me for a few seconds, he left. _

I was really confused, did he possibly like me? Well, he probably did, but could I ever like him? I mean, he's still a jerk, but…he was so nice yesterday…

_ping _

**palelavenderflower:** ohayou sakura

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **g'morning hinata

**palelavenderflower: how do you feel?**

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** fine, just a bit woozy from last night

**palelavenderflower: **I hope that you didn't do anthing you would regret.

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **no! and besides, how did u know?

**palelavenderflower: **I'm psychic

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **i know, but how? what tells u?

**palelavenderflower: **It's sort of like watching television, but with no sound. Then a phrase or a word comes into mind and with it, who to tell it to

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **o

**palelavenderflower: **yeah, so do you regret kissing Sasuke?

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **i don't know…

**palelavenderflower: **just give it some time, you'll understand eventually.

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **really?

**palelavenderflower: **yeah, I'm psychic, remember?

**palelavenderflower has signed off.**

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o has signed off.**

"WHOO HOO!!! NO HANGOVER!!!"

"WHA?"

I did a double take. Ino was up and apparently out of her mind. She smiled and made a peace sign," I don't have a hangover!!"

"Oh. You scared me."

"Speaking of which, you scared me yesterday! How's you ankle?"

"It's been better."

"Oh," her tea green eyes travelled up to my neck and stopped there. "OMIGOSH!!! I ALMOST FORGOT!!!! YOU HAVE A HICKEY!!!!"

She leaped off her bed and scrambled onto mine.

"Spill."

Her eyes had suddenly taken on an evil glint.

"Time for breakfast!!!"

Aunt Ren's voice came through the doorway. I saw Hinata standing behind her, smiling mysteriously. Aunt Ren told us to hurry up and dress in order to eat. Ino pouted and slumped off to change. I turned to smile my 'thank you' to Hinata but she was already gone.

**To Be Continued….**

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

I hope that this was to your satisfaction…I did the best I could..I'm not really good at kissing scenes, since I'm pretty shy. PLZ REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!! (then I will include more SASUSAKU fluff)

moonlight haku


	5. Code Blue

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

I'm sorry for all the spelling mistakes in that last chapter, I was in a bit of a hurry.

Also, my spellcheck mysteriously disappeared a while back….

**Disclaimer: I don't have money, candy, a life, or Naruto…**

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

**Recap: **

"Oh," her tea green eyes traveled up to my neck and stopped there. "OMIGOSH!!! I ALMOST FORGOT!!!! YOU HAVE A HICKEY!!!!"

She leaped off her bed and scrambled onto mine.

"Spill."

Her eyes had suddenly taken on an evil glint.

"Time for breakfast!!!"

Aunt Ren's voice came through the doorway. I saw Hinata standing behind her, smiling mysteriously. Aunt Ren told us to hurry up and dress in order to eat. Ino pouted and slumped off to change. I turned to smile my 'thank you' to Hinata but she was already gone

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

**hick·ey **

–**noun, plural -eys.**

**1.Slang.**

**a.a pimple.**

_**b.a reddish mark left on the skin by a passionate kiss.**_

**2.any device or gadget whose name is not known or is momentarily forgotten.**

**3.Electricity. a fitting used to mount a lighting fixture in an outlet box or on a pipe or stud.**

**4.a tool used to bend tubes and pipes.**

This 'reddish mark' was on my skin. Ew.

I wonder why they don't call pimples 'hickeys' anymore. Then having lots of hickeys wouldn't be uncommon. And if I had a hickey, why don't people immediately think of the third definition? OR the fourth? Why do they always think about definition 1b. ?

And do you have any idea how hard it is to get rid of a hickey???? It's like a red and black bruise that just shouts out to everyone that I kissed some guy. I looked up 'hickey' on the internet and it said that you have to put a cold compress on it immediately to stop it from spreading. Then a warm compress to soften the redness. Then, wear a turtleneck or scarf to cover it up. Yeah. Right.

Obviously the writer didn't think about what to do in the summer. It would be pretty obvious to everyone if I wore a turtleneck today, it's only about _1 million degrees outside._ I didn't bring any light summer scarves and it's too hot for that anyway…

WHAT AM I GOING TO DOOOOOO???!!!!

So far, the only people who knew that I had a hickey were Hinata, Ino and maybe Sasuke. Nobody else noticed since we got home at four or five again.

Crap.

I just realized that if we got home at five, then minus one hour and then since we got to the Kunai at roughly around midnight…..yeah. I really don't want to think about it anymore.

I crawled off my bed and limped over to the closet. I chose a pink tank top with spaghetti straps, cream colored capris and a light, green, translucent scarf that belonged to Ino. Then I carefully put on my pink heelies again and skated out of the room on one foot. Ino was already by the kitchen counter by the time I stumbled down the stairs.

"Good morning forehead! You look great! Considering—"

"—considering that you sprained your ankle yesterday…"

Hinata had covered up Ino's mouth as she had tried to tell the boys of what happened last night. I glanced at Sasuke and saw that he was glaringly menacingly at Ino. Of course, the blond didn't notice as she tried to speak with her voice muffled by Hinata's hand.

I smiled gratefully at Hinata and took my seat, careful to sit as far away as I could from Sasuke. It wasn't that I particularly hated him now…no it was just that I needed time to think. To think about if I could forgive him, if I could actually like him. Perhaps he had the same idea since he didn't acknowledge me in any special way.

"Ohayou Sakura-chan!"

I turned around and found myself face to face with Naruto.

"Ohayou Naruto-kun!"

His cheerful expression suddenly disappeared as his eyebrows knit together. He turned around and banged his head against the wall.

"Stupid hangover!!!!!!!!!"

"Stop it, dobe. I was trying to sleep…"

"SHIKA-KUN!!!!!!"

Ino wrestled free from Hinata's grasp and flung herself as her sleepy boyfriend. They both fell to the floor from the impact.

Everyone sweat dropped.

Again. Seriously, Ino was just too goofy sometimes. I turned to look at Hinata and noticed that she was pouring some Bloody Mary into a glass cup and walking over to Naruto. Apparently, it was good for hangovers. He stopped banging his head long enough for her to pour it down his throat.

He swallowed it and walked over to the bathroom down the hallway to puke out the rest of his alcohol. I started to eat the fat free bacon in front of me and chugged down the orange juice. It was going to be a long day...

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

"Bye Sakura!! We'll be back by four!!"

With that, Ino slammed the door and drove away to the mall with Hinata and their boyfriends. I couldn't go because my ankle still hurt. She wanted to take me, but then her shopping would take a lot longer. So I refused and said that I would just watch soap dramas or surf the web.

The bad thing is…they left Sasuke here too.

They said that Naruto and Shikamaru were enough for all the heavy bags of clothes and accessories they were going to buy. Even Hinata had an evil glint in her eyes. I knew that she wasn't completely angelic. Sasuke didn't say anything but went towards the basement muttering something about swimming. I smiled nervously and limped outdoors to the patio overlooking a lush garden. I sat down in a chair and took out some of the homework that I received from the college prep classes. I took an English class, since everything else was too easy. There was a good heavy packet of questions and translations that would keep me occupied for a good amount of time…

**Interjections **

_Interjections_ are special words that show strong feelings or emotions like excitement, happiness, horror, shock, sadness, pain, anger and disgust. _Interjections _usually come at the beginning of a sentence. You use them to add punch or energy to stories. Don't use them too much. When you overdo _interjections_, they lose their power.

Sometimes _interjections_ are just sounds, shouts, gasp, or exclamations, more like noises than regular words.

Examples: Aha ; Gosh ; Whoopee ; Ugh ; Phew ; Yuck ; Ahem ; Oh ; Hey ; Oops etc.

**1) Write a paragraph that includes at least two or three of the interjections listed above. **

"_Oops," Yumiko murmmured. She had acidentaly let go of the iron axcel and it dropped down from the top of the Empire States Buillding. "Help!!!!", came a scream from the grounde belo. Peeple were screamming because blood was splatered everywher. It had dropped on a boy, Sousuke. He had to bee rushed to the emergenccy roome. Too days later, he was pronounsed deed. No one atendeied his funarel. _

Why am I killing someone in my homework?! And why does his name almost sound like Sasuke's? I stared at the paper in horror. Besides the blood lust that was evident in it, it didn't look right. I think that I spelled a lot of words wrong…English really is hard!

**(A/N: the hw is actually written in Japanese, but we all know that I can't write in Japanese. The only English on the paper are the examples, paragraph, and the word 'interjection')**

That used to be my own fantasy of what would finally happen to Sasuke.

Until now.

I don't know what I want to happen to him anymore. I sighed and put away the paper, I was getting a splitting headache. I groaned and put my head down on the glass table beside me.

"You alright?"

I looked up, it was Sasuke, with water droplets clinging to his upper body. He had a white towel with the Uchiha symbol hanging from his shoulders. His black hair was matted down with water and the sun struck his skin just so it gleamed like ivory.

I stared at him. Gawked actually.

"Hello?"

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I was no pervert!!! Who cares if a perfectly gorgeous half-naked guy who actually cared about me was standing next to me?

….

That thought was beyond stupid.

"Yeah. Like, why would you care, Sasuke?"

He pulled out a chair and sat down beside me. Sasuke is sitting beside me. So? I shouldn't feel anything! Then why was my heart thumping in my chest so hard? Why did I start to hyperventilate? I struggled not to blush since that would be totally embarrassing.

Why was I blushing anyway?! I hated him, right?

Thank goodness that he didn't look at me or reply. Or else he would've seen the pink hue that I'm sure my face is taking on right now. Instead, he looked away. I had just noticed how nice his abs looked. It looked so hard and muscular…I just wanted to touch it…AACK!!! WHAT AM I THINKING??!!!! I AM NO PERVERT!!!!! AARGH…WHY DID HE HAVE TO LOOK SO CUTE??!!!!

I stared at my lap, blushing furiously. I heard him move around a bit. I blushed more.

"About last night…" His voice trailed off, as if asking a question, not making a statement.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry…."

I was quiet. I didn't know what to say. Sasuke Uchiha has just apologized to me. One of his fangirls would die to have a chance to hear this. I used to be like that. Until that day.

"Then just tell me, Sasuke. If you liked me, then what was the deal about the facelift, colored contacts and dyed hair?"

That memory still hurt, even after all this time. The pain had dulled over the years, but now the wound was reopened by the 'events' of last night.

He looked at me, water droplets threatening to drop from his perfectly chiseled jaw any second. Black onyx eyes showed only remorse. True and sincere remorse.

"I was proud. The great Sasuke Uchiha. Hundreds of fangirls at my every beck and call, but I had promised not to fall for any girl, that was…until you came along…"

I listened with my eyes wide, that was the first time I had heard him talk so much. He glanced at me and continued on.

"I admit, I hated you at first. That was in fifth grade. You were so delicate, so overly sensitive. But over the years…you grew up. I had regarded you as just a normal crazed fangirl, but then somehow you were…different. Unlike most of the other girls, you were smart and found ways to try and corner me. Yet you never tried to force yourself on me. I admit it. I felt guilty. I had promised that I would never fall in love with a girl until I was the leader of my father's company. I told myself everyday that it was just hormones, a crush or I was going slightly out of my mind. What you heard that day was just what I told myself everyday. Trying to convince myself that I didn't like you, that maybe I didn't deserve a girl like you. I didn't want to believe that a girl like you existed. I had a one-track mind, my only goal was to take over the company from my older brother. I just didn't have enough time to give to a girl such as you, you deserved more than a business obsessed teenager…but I just couldn't keep you from my mind…."

I was shocked.

On one hand it made perfectly good sense. On the other hand…it was utterly confusing. It wasn't as simple as it is in the movies. If I was in one, I would've flung myself at him and declared my everlasting love to him. But no…this was real life. And in real life, there were no such things.

' "_Nah, she should at least give him a second chance. I mean, he does really love her!"_

"_But, Sakura, he cheated on her!!!"_

"_So? Everyone makes mistakes!!" '_

I widened my eyes at this sudden flashback. I had said that I believed in second chances.

……..

I feel like a hypocrite. I defended a man in a drama who cheated on his girlfriend, but here I was, not even willing to grant Sasuke a second chance. His crime wasn't even that evil, he was just trying to convince himself that he didn't really deserve me, that he couldn't. If I truly believed in forgiveness and second chances…why couldn't I forgive him?

We sat there in awkward silence while my mind was spinning out of control.

Without warning, my eyesight clouded over and tears started dripping from my eyes. I didn't notice, I was too busy damning myself to the likes of Hell. How could I be like this? How could he think that he didn't deserve me? Why couldn't I move?

I felt his hand touch my shoulder.

My shoulders immediately tensed up and my hands curled up in a fist. Tears fell onto my lap as my body shook. Why couldn't I just forgive him? It wasn't so hard…I knew that I liked him, but how much? Why couldn't I just give a him a second chance? Didn't he deserve it? He helped me out so much, and I knew he wasn't lying when he poured out his true feelings.

He proved it to me with is earlier actions and with his eyes. When he told me, his eyes were so sincere, with not a drop of deception in them. But why couldn't I just forgive and forget?! It shouldn't be so hard? Right?

I thought about proclaiming my love to him, or giving him a second chance…but my body just wouldn't move. It's was like I froze up. Tears kept dripping onto my capris and after a while, I heard him sigh and the door slide open.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

He kept silent for the rest of the day. I was grateful for that. When Ino got home, I was putting a finishing touch on my English homework and my eyes were only slightly pink. The rest of the day was unbearably quiet. We had a nice dinner and after that, I went up to sleep and Sasuke went jogging while the rest of them snuggled together for a rerun of a popular TV drama.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

_July 7 _

_Dear Diary,_

_It's been two days since I've talked or made any eye contact with Sasuke. I was stuck at the house while Ino and Hinata(with their boyfriends) went everywhere. I can walk on my own now, even though I still limp a little. Later today, I'm going to the bookshop to buy some medical books and dictionaries. Even though medical school has to come after college, it doesn't hurt to get a head start. I still don't know what to do about Sasuke. He acts pretty much the same, except he always casts a few glances at me when no one is looking and he hasn't insulted me. _

_ping_

**palelavenderflower: **how are you, sakura?

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o:** fine. I can walk a little now.

**palelavenderflower: **want to join us in Disneyland today?

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **nah. u guys go hve fun. I'm gona buy some books

**palelavenderflower: **are you sure?

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **yeah. don't worry. I won't hurt myself again.

**palelavenderflower: **fine, Sakura. I hope you find some good books.

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **me 2, any predictions today?

**palelavenderflower: **it's going to be sunny and the temperature is around 95 degrees Fahrenheit

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **very funny. i meant for me.

**palelavenderflower: **u'll find out….just…it's not your fault…

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: **eh?

**palelavenderflower has signed off.**

**o.pinkcherryblossom.o: has signed off.**

Oh well. When she doesn't want to answer, she doesn't. Hinata and Sakura have dragged their boys to Disneyland for two or three days. I couldn't go because I limped and I didn't really want to. The last time I went there, I fell off the boat in 'It's a Small World'.

I know, stupid.

I only got a few bruises and cuts, but I never wanted to go to Disneyland again.

I closed down my pink laptop and slid out the living room on my heelies. Ino and the others had taken Hinata's white limo to Disneyland so I could borrow Ino's red convertible if I ever felt like going out. I thanked Ino silently as I put the key in the ignition and drove off.

But I didn't hear another blue car following me.

I drove all the way to downtown Kyoto to get access to a famous bookstore located there. I sipped my iced tea quietly as I flipped through all the books in the store. After making a purchase, I threw away the empty cup and decided to take a walk around and do some window-shopping.

There were summer dresses of the latest fashion on display in a lot of the clothing stores and I cursed myself silently for not bringing my credit cards. After a while, I decided to walk back to the car before the sunset. I accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up in an alley of some sort. The noises of the city suddenly disappeared and silence overtook it. I didn't panic until I heard light footsteps behind me.

There were two men trailing after me. I panicked and sped up my pace, not caring where I ended up, I just needed to get away. I heard one of them laugh as I ran away. After a few minutes, they disappeared from view.

I relaxed and continued to look for a way out.

Then I noticed two other figures in front of me at the end of the street. They were different than the previous two, but somehow they still had a menacing aura around them. I realized it, they weren't stalking me, they were herding me! I looked around for a way to escape. But it seems that there were people coming at me from almost every direction.

Even if I dashed, I doubt that I would've made it.

The pair behind me were closing in on me.

"What do you want?"

I glared at the with as much fervor as I could muster. They smirked and continued advancing.

"Stay away from me!!"

"Don't be like that, pinky.."

I was partially hysterical by now. I was surrounded, completely. They were all closing in on me. I could see their dirty little minds unclothing me in their imaginations. It was a bit too late to wish that I had taken martial arts classes.

They were all smiling at me now, revealing grayish yellow teeth. When they laughed or talked, all I could do was try not to gag at the smell of cigarettes.

"Stay away from me!!!"

A few of them chuckled evilly. One of them stepped forward and eyed me.

"That's a nice body you've got there pinky…"

I have never felt so disgusting in my entire 17 years of life.

"…time to free it from those clothes…"

Maybe I could scream. I had enough energy, but there was no one here. No one, the windows to all the buildings were boarded up and the only ones here were me, and that dirty perverted street gang.

The one who stepped forward grabbed me by my shoulders and tried to rip my thin tank top away from my body. No matter how much I struggled, he wouldn't let go and actually started to laugh! Just as he was about to rip it off me—

_wham_

He fell forward and let go of my shoulders. I stepped aside to let him fall to ground in horror. Blood was coming out of his mouth and the top of his head was covered with matted blood in his hair. I look behind the place where he stood and my mouth dropped open.

It was Sasuke Uchiha.

He glanced at me and then looked at the rest of the group. They recovered from their shock quickly and started to crack their knuckles. However, Sasuke didn't look too worried….even though he seriously should have been. I mean, he might be really strong and stuff, but it was seven against one!

I felt a rough hand against my shoulder and instinctively, I whipped a pencil out of my bag and stabbed him. Hard. He yelped and blood spurted out from his hand. I took the chance to duck under him and run to a nearby wall. At least nobody could sneak up on me here. The rest of the group seemed unfazed as they charged at Sasuke.

While my attacker headed towards me slowly, clutching his hand, I bopped his head with my laptop. He was really slow because I had struck an important artery in his hand, so it was easy to take him out. He was unconscious, but my laptop might need a new cover from now on.

I stayed by the wall while watching Sasuke take on the other six men.

It took my breath away.

He ducked under one of them and kicked him to the floor. I heard bone crunching and I knew that those kneecaps were broken. Then Sasuke took the dagger out of his hands and threw it at the other one's throat. The man tried to duck, but it struck the side of his throat, making blood squirt out because it had hit the jugular vein.

Then Sasuke wiped the blood from his face and took out the bloody dagger. When another man tried to swing a punch in his face, he jumped and kicked him under the chin. He went flying back to wall and remained motionless.

I watched in horror as another man sneaked up behind Sasuke, intent on sticking him in the back. He turned around and sent a flying kick to his assailant's face, but not after the dagger sliced him in the side. He clutched his side and stumbled a bit. One of the other two took out a gun, and started to shoot. Sasuke managed to avoid most of the bullets since he kept missing, he punched the man and kicked the gun from the owner's hands. The other one who was just standing there ran off.

When the coast was clear, I hesitated, but ran over to Sasuke. It seemed that his black shirt was soaked with blood and upon closer inspection, I realized that there was a couple of bullets lodged in his upper leg.

When I finally reached him, he slumped down onto the street. Oh no. He couldn't have. He would never fall down in front of anybody, especially not me. A puddle of red liquid was spreading out from under him. I shook his shoulder, biting back incoming tears.

"Sasuke! Sasuke!! Get up!!"

His eyes opened briefly as he heard my voice. Then they fluttered a bit and closed again.

I paled, "Stay awake!! Please Sasuke!!! Please!!!!"

He couldn't collapse here. He just couldn't. I knew where he'd been hit, the worst place possible. The femoral artery. That was basically just a huge artery that runs up and down your leg. If that artery was injured or punctured, you could bleed to death in a matter of minutes. I had no intention of letting that happen. I also looked over his side. He had a six or seven inch gash around his side. It was pretty deep. Blood was pumping out from his leg and his side.

Already his skin was beginning to turn gray and cold. I wish that I'd never had the stupid idea to come here in the first place. He must've followed me here, to make sure I was alright or something. If he died here, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.

"Sasuke!!! PLEASE STAY AWAKE!!! PLEASE SASUKE!!!"

I was on the edge of hysteria. Tears were falling from my eyes uncontrollably. Finally, his eyes opened a little and he groaned a little. I wiped the tears from my eyes hurriedly and asked him, " Can you here me? Sasuke??"

He nodded faintly while wincing as I touched his side. Blood was still gushing out from his leg, so I decided to make a tourniquet. I didn't know too much, and even expert doctors say that they have a difficult time deciding when to use one. If it was left on for too long, the tissue could die and the limb would have to be amputated.

I don't want him to lose a leg because of me.

But if I didn't, he could bleed to death right here!! I bit my lip and made my decision. No matter how risky, I needed to stop his bleeding. I unwounded my scarf and tied it around his leg firmly. Then I put one of his arms over my shoulder and begged him to wake up and try to walk. He was too heavy for me to carry.

His eyelashes fluttered a bit, but he ended up limping slowly and painfully. Every moment seemed like an eternity. Tears dripped nonstop from my swollen pink eyes. I kept wiping them, kept telling myself that I had to be strong, but it didn't work. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, that he would bleed to death. I couldn't live with that.

After a long time, we finally made it back to the street where I had taken the wrong turn. The gash on his side was still spilling out blood, but the bullet wounds on his legs had stopped gushing out blood. There was still a steady, but smaller flow. We must've made a scary couple, straight out of a horror movie. The lower part of my jeans were dripping with his blood and the red gash from the side was contaminating my arms and hands.

I didn't care. I just wanted him to live. I needed him to live. He shouldn't die because I was careless. He didn't really deserve it. I looked back to my wish that a truck would kill him, and I realized how foolish it had been.

Just because he had been a jerk, doesn't mean that he has to die…especially not for me. New tears formed in my eyes and I started to cry bitterly.

I sensed that a crowd was surrounding us as I led him to the middle of the sidewalk. People were screaming and gasping. Several people were calling the ambulance for help and a lot were crying.

I didn't care that people were staring. Should I? I had a dying person that I was responsible for. He's like this because of me…

I lifted my head as the crowd parted to let a stretcher come through. The head EMT asked me how he had got this way.

"I got lost—"

I gulped and tried to speak through my tears.

"—and these people – were trying to…hurt me—"

I sobbed into my bloody sleeve, unable to calm myself.

"—and he came, -- and saved me—but he got hurt—"

"Can you tell us where?"

I shuddered and tried not to cry.

"on his side—and he got a couple—of bullets in his leg—"

I fell to my knees on the street, unable to control my tears anymore. Why did this have happen? It was all my stupid fault. The EMT left me up and led me to the back of the ambulance.

They had removed the bloody tourniquet and was working on giving him more oxygen and blood. They tried to talk to him, but all the response they got was a fluttering of eyelashes and a few winces. I sat down on the side of the ambulance. Unable to move.

When I finally found my voice, I tried to stop my sobbing but it wouldn't stop. I looked over at Sasuke on the bed and was even more worried. His skin was still pale white and he felt like ice when I touched him. The EMT's were frantically performing CPR because he just went into cardiac arrest.

I could hear the driver shout "CODE BLUE, CODE BLUE!!!" over the walkie-talkie.

Code Blue.

He's not going to live, is he?

_**To Be Continued…**_

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

KAMI!!!!!! That was 4,795 words!!!!! I HAVE NEVER WRITTEN THAT MUCH!!!

I like to write stuff where people get hurt, but if you're not into that kind of stuff, sorry.

I hope that my writing was alright, and PLZ REVIEW!!!!!

moonlight haku


	6. Cry Me a River

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

I decided that this fanfiction is going to be 10-15 chapters, and maybe I'll write a sequel if I feel that it needs one. And I just realized that it's really confusing that Sasuke's going to college while he and Sakura were in the same homeroom in the first year of senior high. It's because he used to leave a lot to go to business meetings with his brother and father, so he missed some of the school year. He was supposed to be in another homeroom, but some genius(Sakura, possibly) hacked into the school placement files and placed him in her homeroom. The school didn't really mind, since he had to take some lower-level classes since he missed so much. But he caught up really fast, so he skipped the last year and got accepted to the university.

I hope that you could understand all that **XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto….**

**---------------------------.oOo.--------------------------- **

**Recap: **

They had removed the bloody tourniquet and were working on giving him more oxygen and blood. They tried to talk to him, but all the response they got was a fluttering of eyelashes and a few winces. I sat down on the side of the ambulance. Unable to move.

When I finally found my voice, I tried to stop my sobbing but it wouldn't stop. I looked over at Sasuke on the bed and was even more worried. His skin was still pale white and he felt like ice when I touched him. The EMTs were frantically performing CPR since he had just gone into cardiac arrest.

I could hear the driver shout "CODE BLUE, CODE BLUE!!!" over the walkie-talkie.

Code Blue.

He's not going to live, is he?

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

"_Time of death, 11:31 p.m."_

"_NOOO!!!!"_

_Tears were streaming down my face, he couldn't be dead!! He just couldn't!! My heart had a strange ache in them. I was certain that I felt my heart break into a million little pieces. My life was over. _

_Sasuke was dead. _

"_Cause of death, blood loss."_

_Why couldn't I do anything to save him?! WHY?! Why did he have to go and die like that? Why _

_did he have to leave me here, cursing myself to damnation? He couldn't be dead! _

_No. _

_It just can't be real!!! Sasuke can't be dead, they're lying!! All of them!! I can't let him die, not now!!! Please Sasuke!!! Just wake up!!_

_Tell me everything will be alright!!!_

_SASUKEEEEE!!!!!!_

"Sasuke…"

I woke up with a start, tears streaming down my face and my heart thumping wildly in my chest. No, he can't be dead. It was just a dream. Just dream.

I looked at my surroundings, I sitting in a chair in a hospital room. I looked over to the bed and saw him. The blood from his wounds was cleaned and he was all stitched up. There were bandages around his upper thigh and waist. He had those tan, stretchy bandages going around his ankle and more gauze was held in place by clear tape around his body. His hands were hooked up to an IV and blood transfusions. His skin still looked a bit pale, but when I touched him, he felt a bit warmer.

I looked at my clothing, the blood on my tank top and pants were dried and the blood on my arms and hands were wiped clean except for a red smear near my hands.

I looked at Sasuke again. There were a lot of different tubes attached to a ventilator and a heart monitor that was beeping steadily. He looked pretty gruesome, but at least he was alive.

I just sat there, absorbing his image for I don't know how long. I was relieved that my dream didn't come true, and that I wasn't psychic. If he had died…I didn't know how I would've lived.

The door opened and someone rushed in.

"SAKURAAAA!!!!!"

She hugged me and cried with relief. I hugged her back, it was nice to see her again…

"Hi Ino. How are you?"

She pulled back and asked, "How am I? I should ask you! You scared us so much!!! I thought that you were dead, you had so much blood on you and your face was so pale…"

"I'm…..fine…" My voice faltered as I looked at the motionless body beside me. Her eyes filled with concern and she hugged me even tighter.

"How is he?" I whispered hoarsely, afraid of what she would tell me.

"He lost a lot of blood and had some broken ribs, some cracks in his upper femur and a truckload of stitches. The doctors don't know when he'll wake up though. They said that he almost lost all of his blood, if it weren't for that tourniquet, he would've been dead by now."

"Really?" I smiled sadly. At least I had made up for my stupid idea. A little. I felt my eyes get wet as moisture started to brim over. "I'm so stupid…."

"No you aren't, you saved his life!"

"Yes I am, it was my stupid idea to go to the bookstore and my stupid mind that got me lost."

"But—"

"Ino, don't try to tell me otherwise. It's still m-my f-fault…" I started to cry even more. I heard her sigh and sit down in a chair next to me. She hugged me, rocking slowly until all my tears were gone. We just sat there, not talking, not even looking at each other. What was there to talk about? She knew that the only thing that would make me smile again was if Sasuke got better.

Time flew by. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours and hours into days. I don't know how long I just sat there. Motionless. Sometimes Sasuke's hand would twitch a little, or his head would turn from side to side. But he never responded to anything, his eyes wouldn't open and it was as if he just couldn't acknowledge us anymore.

So I waited.

I felt like crying every second, every minute, but I had no more tears. Tears wouldn't bring him back, if it could, I would gladly cry a river for him. But it was all for vain…I heard Ino and Hinata plead with me to go eat, to go get some sleep…but I didn't want to leave. What if he woke up when I was gone? No, I stayed there…after a week, the doctors said that if he didn't wake up in the next twenty-four hours, they would have no choice but to pull the plug.

I wish it was like in the movies.

Where he would just wake up when a single teardrop fell, or when he heard my crying. But this was real life. A life that I didn't feel like living anymore. His parents and his brother visited a while back. They were sad too, but I didn't believe that any pain could surpass mine. His mother cried, while his brother and his father stood by her side. I just watched, wishing that I had tears left to cry.

I don't know what to feel anymore.

Should I be happy? That he moved on to a better place? Was this what I had always wanted? Should I be sad? Of course I should. But I'm not sad, I'm way beyond that already. I was sad when he collapsed on the street, I was hysterical when his heart stopped, I was grieving when he wouldn't wake up…now I just want him to live.

If my life could bring him back, then I would gladly give it.

I woke up the next morning. It was seven in the morning and the bright summer sun was streaming into the room. In a few hours, people would be coming in to say good-bye, to say their final farewell.

_Six hours left to live. _

Ino came in first. Her hair was messed up, and her eyes were puffy from crying. But did I even care anymore?

"I'm so sorry Sakura…" She whispered it and bowed low to Sasuke's motionless form. Then she wiped away her tears and ran out of the room.

_Five hours left to live. _

Hinata came in second, looking perfect as usual, but with a sad twinkle in her eyes. She whispered something over his body and left.

_Four hours left to live. _

Shikamaru came in third. He looked at Sasuke's motionless form with a mournful look and then walked out.

_Three hours left to live. _

Naruto came in. He stood by Sasuke's body for the longest time. I see his shoulders shaking and his fist grasp at thin air. When he raised his head, I could see one lonely tear slowly make its way down his face. He looked at me sadly and left.

_Two hours left to live. _

His family came in. They were silent, just like everyone else. Except for his mother, she was sobbing quietly while hugging her shoulders. Sasuke's father and brother just stood there with a grim look on their faces. It was painful to watch. After a while, his father took them and left.

_One hour left to live. _

The doctors and nurses came in. They checked his vital signs to see if he had any chance of waking up. He didn't. Then they turned on their heels and left me alone.

_Ten minutes left to live._

I think that they're all waiting for me to say my good-bye. I can't. I can't believe that he's dead until…I just can't believe it.

_Nine minutes left to live. _

I walked over to Sasuke's bed slowly. My shaking hand reached out to touch his silky black hair and his closed eyes. My eyes were brimming with tears.

_Eight minutes left to live._

But they refused to fall. I couldn't cry anymore. I already cried him a river—no, an ocean, but he didn't wake up. One tear wouldn't make such a difference.

_Seven minutes left to live. _

Should I be sobbing? Should I be crying loudly, wailing even? That would only scare people and disturb the peace of the hospital. But it was expected.

_Six minutes left to live._

I could hear the click clacking of the hospital staff down the hallway. They were coming to pull to plug, to let him move on.

_Five minutes left to live._

My eyes finally brimmed over. Who cares if I already cried him an ocean? I'll cry him seven oceans and seven seas, but would that bring him back to me?

_Four, three, two, one minute left to live. _

This is it. If he doesn't wake up now, he never will. The doctors have their hands on the plug, waiting until the last second.

"Wake up DAMMIT!!! IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT SASUKE UCHIHA? ONE MINUTE YOU TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME, AND THEN YOU LEAVE ME? WHY?? WHY?"

I pounded his chest with my fist. I couldn't help it, I was so angry. He tells me he loves me, and then he has to go and die. Is this my punishment? Is this what I deserve for not giving him a second chance?!

"S-sakura..that h-hurts…"

"Sasuke?!"

I opened my eyes in disbelief. Sasuke's eyelashes fluttered open a little as his mouth moved a bit.

"Sasuke! You're alive!!"

I saw him smile a little through the tears that finally spilled out of my eyes. He groaned a bit and then tried to sit up. I heard the doctors rush over.

"It's a miracle!"

"He's conscious!"

"How did this happen?!"

They started to examine him and asked him a lot of questions. One of the nurses ran over to them and started squealing that it was a miracle. I heard everyone who was waiting at the doorway run in to see the big commotion. For some dumb reason, I started to sob, not with sadness, but relief. All the anxiety and worry that I had been holding in finally exploded out in tears. Ino and Hinata ran in first and crushed me in their hugs.

"I'm s-so happy for you!!"

"Sasuke's alive!!"

They were both shouting through their tears. Naruto ran in after them and Shikamaru walked in slowly. He smiled knowingly and stayed in the corner of the room. After ten minutes, the doctors parted and walked out the room murmuring to each other, smiling and taking notes.

I rushed over to his side again. His eyes were barely open, but I felt that he was looking at me. His hand reached up and stroked my wet pink hair.

"I would never leave you..Sakura…"

I grabbed his hand and put it between mine. I stroked it and cried even harder. He was alive!! After all these days of hoping and hoping, he finally made it! I don't know if I've felt so happy before in my entire life. I just sat there and looked at him while stroking his hand. I saw him smile a little and drift off into oblivion again. It was okay though, I knew that he would get better.

The soft sound of his breathing filled to room as he fell asleep. I put down his hand after a while and kissed his forehead.

"Get better Sasuke…aishiteru…"

I turned around and found Ino and Hinata melting into a puddle. They pointed at me and giggled like middle schoolers.

"Sakura's in looooove!!"

I felt my face flush as I stomped out of the room. They giggled insanely and followed me out, determined to torture me even more.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

_August 10_

_Dear Diary,_

_Wow, I haven't written for over a month! Sasuke's finally getting out of the hospital today. He was supposed to be there for a few more months, but him being in a coma and Shikamaru's medicine helped him heal a lot faster. I'm really happy now, it's a Friday and we're going to the movies to celebrate. It's some mushy romance movie that Ino raves about, I'll probably fall asleep in the middle. _

_You would think that after all this time, I would love Sasuke indefinitely. Although the hospital incident was exactly like a movie scene, I wouldn't know if I loved him that much. It seems a bit cliché, don't you think? I mean boy meets girl, girl hates boy, boy defends girl, girl loves boy, boy and girl live happily ever after…right? I know that I'll definitely give him a second chance. I mean, I learned my lesson the hard way. _

_Ino and Hinata keep trying to make me admit that I love him, but I don't even know myself. I know that he still loves me, but I don't know if I can return those feelings. Love is such a complicated thing…_

"COME ON FOREHEAD!!!! WE HAVE TO GO!!!!!"

"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT INO-PIG!!!!" I yelled down the stairs to Ino. We had to go pick Sasuke up today. Then we'll drag him to the movies, some mushy romance one. Ew. I'd much rather watch horror. But, it's Ino's choice this week so I closed up my diary and stuffed it into a drawer.

"FOREHEAD!!!!! WE'RE LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!!!! THEN YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR BELOVED SAS—MMPH MMPH!!!!!"

I sighed, Hinata likes to help out sometimes, so she muffles up Ino's words when she tries to tell everyone the world that I _might_ like Sasuke. I flew down the stairs and into the front seat of her red convertible.

Then she drove like her life depended on it. We got to the hospital in about….FIFTEEN MINUTES??!!!

"KAMI!!!!!!! DON'T KILL US ALL, INO!!!!" I grabbed her shoulders as we screeched to a stop in front of the pick-up area.

"WHAAAAAAT???!!!! FOREHEAD!!!! STOP SHAAAKING ME!!!!!!!!!"

"WE SHOULD'VE TAKEN FORTY FIVE MINUTES!!!! WHAT DID YOU DOOOO???!!!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN??!!!!!"

"LOOK AT THE CLOO—"

"Excuse me ladies, this is a hospital, and you're disturbing everyone. Please be quiet."

We both blushed with embarrassment. I let go of Ino's shirt and pouted, while she crossed her arms and tried to look decent with her messy hair.

"What did you do Ino-pig?!"

"I just drove like I always do!!"

"At 200 mph?!!"

"NO!!!"

"THEN WHAT PIG?!!"

"Ladies, please be quiet or else I'll be forced to detain you."

We both glared at him and he paled and then ran away.

"Wuss." We both said at the same time. Ino looked at me and I looked at her while we started to giggle. After a moment, I opened the car door and headed straight for the hospital doors. Ino followed me in and I heard a big commotion somewhere near the hallway to my right. I saw a big crowd of girls with hearts and stars in their eyes while squealing around someone.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Uh…I think so.."

It was the Sasuke Uchiha fanclub. Apparently, someone told them that Sasuke was going to be here. Remind me to kill whoever it was later. Ino and I looked at the crowd in wonder. It was really big and loud. I remember when I used to be in it, Ino and I were the leaders. Then I started to hate him and Ino followed me out of the fanclub. I haven't heard from them ever since.

The security guards were trying to get through and form a way for Sasuke to pass. But no such luck. One of them got bopped on the head with a 'I LOVE SASUKE UCHIHA' sign and the other was punched down by a crazed fangirl.

"Sasuke go out with me!!!"

"Touch my hand Sasuke!!!!"

"Talk to me Sasuke!!"

"Look at me Sasuke!!!"

"Try my homemade cookies Sasuke!!!"

"Let me carry you Sasuke!!!"

"Let me worship you Sasuke!!!!"

"SILENCE!!!!!!"

All of them fell silent when a beautiful, longhaired girl came through. She glared at everyone and they parted like the Red Sea.

"I'M THE **ONLY** ONE WHO GETS TO DO ANYTHING TO SASUKE!!! YOU GET IT??!!!"

All of the fangirls looked dejected. It seemed that this person was the new president of the "WE LOVE SASUKE" fanclub. Then she smiled sweetly at Sasuke and battered her eyelashes.

"Hello, Sasuke-kun!!"

He gave a her a pissed-of look. She ignored it and giggled like he just smiled at her or something. I burned with anger. Ino looked at me and said, "Shall we?"

"Yes…we shall."

We walked up to the girl and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and her silver eyes (must be contacts) flashed with anger.

"DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO BUG OFF?!"

"Hello…Kyoko-san..," Ino smiled deviously.

"What? Ino, Sakura??!! What are **you two **doing here?!"

"Oh nothing…just to pick Sasuke up," I smiled sweetly at her while she started to get red. She pouted and started to yell at us when Sasuke tapped her shoulder and said, "Just shut up little girl. It'll do you some good."

"I'm NOT a little girl!!!"

Sasuke smiled evilly, "I'll bet that you're what, 12, 13? Huh? Little girl…"

"I'm 14!!!!"

"Just what I thought.." Ino said, catching on immediately.

"We leave for a few years…and you just stay the little midget you are!!" I giggle lightly. She started to fume. I swear that I heard a train in the distance when her face started to get red.

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!!"

To my surprise, Sasuke had snuck up behind me and wrapped one arm around my waist. I squeaked in surprise. Kyoko looked at him and she started to get mad.

"You win this time, Haruno. But mark my words, one day I'll get you for stealing him from ME!!!"

"C'mon, let's just go," Sasuke pulled my hand and dragged me out of the crowd of fangirls. Ino waved good-bye to the fuming girl and followed us out. Once we were outside, I looked up at Sasuke.

"Um…Sasuke..?"

"Yeah?"

I looked down at my hand, blushing furiously.

"Um..you're holding..my hand…"

"So?"

"Um…never mind.."

He grinned, not in a bad way, but just in a way that gave me the creeps. Ino started to snickered until I batted her away with my free hand. She pouted a little, but then resumed her normal expression. But not for long. When we got to the car, she started laughing hysterically.

"Did you see the look on her face??!! She was soooo mad!!!"

"Yeah! I know!! Can you imagine? KYOKO??!! PRESIDENT OF THE FANCLUB??!!"

"YEAH!! THAT IS SO FUNNY!!!"

"I MEAN, I TOTALLY DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING!!"

I laughed and shouted along with her. I seriously didn't see that coming. When Ino and I had been the leaders of Sasuke's fanclub, Kyoko had just been a new addition. She was soooo love with Sasuke even though she was three years younger then us. Kyoko's whole life had been revolving around serving and pleasing Sasuke. It's no wonder that she had taken over after we left. It's still pretty amazing that she has college students in the fanclub now. And that she can control them like that.

Ino got us home in fifteen minutes again. This time, I was too busy talking to notice the speed drop down from 100 mph when we parked. When we got into the house, Ino and I rushed upstairs to change into something cute.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

**THE END**

I yawned as the credits from the movie started rolling. It was the same cliché story. Boy meets girl, girl like boy (and vice versa), boy and girl overcome obstacle (or something like that), boy and girl live happily ever after. Yawn. Boooring. Real life isn't like that.

However, Ino's face was streaming with tears. Hinata's was the same. They were both making puppy faces at the screen.

"That was so GOOOOOOD!!!!!"

They both hugged each other and cried tears of joy.

Everyone sweat dropped.

"Get up, guys. We have to go now."

I dragged Ino and Hinata out of the theatre. They each grabbed onto the arm of their dates and started to babble on about the movie. I looked up at the sky, the stars had come out and the moon was smiling at me.

"Hey, you guys want to go for bubble tea?" (Ino)

"Hn." (Sasuke)

"Okay." (Hinata)

"Fine with me."(Naruto)

"What a draag."(Shikamaru)

"BUBBLE TEA!!!!!"(Me)

My eyes lit up and I dragged Ino away to the nearest teahouse on the street. I LOVE bubble tea. Those little squishy black rice balls were **really** good, but I never seem to have enough time to eat/drink them. Everyone followed me into a little teahouse off the street.

"Six cups of bubble tea, please!!"

"Okay."

The waitress hurried off to get our order. While we were waiting, Ino started to babble on about the movie.

"That was that BEST movie ever!! I mean, the ending was just SOOO cute!! And those two just made the CUTEST couple EVER!!!"

"Actually, I fell asleep when they were out on a walk."

"THAT WAS AT THE VERY BEGINNING!!!!"

"Oh."

So I fell asleep, it was just another boring romance movie. Nothing too special. But I turned and saw Ino making a puppy face. I was confused.

"So? I missed it!"

"YOU POOR DEPRIVED CHILD!!!! LET'S GO WATCH IT AGAIN!!!"

"ACK!! I'M NOT A CHILD!!! AND I DON'T WANT TO WATCH IT AGAIN!!!"

"SEE? WHAT HAPPENED TO YOOOUUU??? LET ME FEED YOU SOME ROMANCE!!!!!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

With that, Ino started to chase me everywhere in and out of the store. She kept shouting that I needed to watch more romance and I yelled that I didn't. This went on until we both collapsed from fatigue and the boys drove us home.

Poor waitress, we forgot all about that bubble tea.

**To Be Continued…**

**--------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

I hope that you liked the chapter!!! I'm seriously starting to get a writer's block… AND THANKS SO MUCH TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED!!! And to those who didn't, START REVIEWING!!! LIKE, HUNDREDS OF YOU READ EVERY CHAPTER AND ONLY FIVE OR SIX OF YOU REVIEW!!! I MEAN, **COME****ON **!!!!!

…

yeah, I'm done now. And just something interesting, the "poor deprived child" thing actually happened to me, except it was because I had no idea what **High School Musical** is. I still don't and** I DON'T CARE XD XD XD**

moonlight haku


	7. In the Dark

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

I feel SO GIRLY!!!!! AAARGGHHH…I knew that this story would do that to me!! -starts to tear out hair- I hate feeling like a shojo manga fangirl. Cuz I don't like shojo manga. **SHONEN JUMP IS THE BEST!** …an issue if SJ for everyone who reviews!! Or shojo beat or something. What ever you like. Oh, and I think that I might've made Sasuke a little OOC here, but anyone can see that he's not capable of love if he acted like he did in the series. This chapter contains…fluff. And..yeah, um…fluff…

**Disclaimer: Be THANKFUL that I don't own Naruto, Sasuke fans!!**

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

**Recap:**

"So? I missed it!"

"YOU POOR DEPRIVED CHILD!!!! LET'S GO WATCH IT AGAIN!!!"

"ACK!! I'M NOT A CHILD!!! AND I DON'T WANT TO WATCH IT AGAIN!!!"

"SEE? WHAT HAPPENED TO YOOOUUU??? LET ME FEED YOU SOME ROMANCE!!!!!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

With that, Ino started to chase me everywhere in and out of the store. She kept shouting that I needed to watch more romance and I yelled that I didn't. This went on until we both collapsed from fatigue and the boys drove us home.

Poor waitress, we forgot all about that bubble tea.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

August 31 

_Dear Diary,_

_We're going to ANOTHER party. I'm getting sick and tired of all these parties. I think that this one is just a random party at someone's house. No special occasion. And they say that __**we're **__party maniacs. If every summer is like this at Uncle Hiroishi's, then we might turn into party animals. I'm pretty sure that it's at Aunt Kyoko's new house. _

_Hm. I just realized. My aunt and Kyoko have the same name. It must be pretty popular. At least my aunt is much better than that other Kyoko. Wow. This will be so confusing…_

I looked up at the clouds through the glass ceiling. Kyoko, it was a pretty name. I wonder if half of the girls in my new senior high class will have that name.

"TIME TO GO FOREHEAD!!!!!"

"Wha? ACK!! GET OFF ME INO-PIG!!"

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL!!!"

"YOU STARTED IT PIGGY!!!"

"FOREHEAD!"

"PIGGY!!"

"BILLBOARD BROW!!!!"

"FAT BOAR!!!"

"Now, now girls. Calm down, we have to get going, unless you would want to miss the whole thing."

"Please," I muttered under my breath. Ino, the eternal party girl, shut up and started to drag me out the door. Aunt Ren smiled and closed the door on our way out. I freed myself from Ino's grasp and started to make my way down the stairs on ridiculously tall high heels. Ino had forced me to wear them, she said it made my legs look longer, I think my legs look fine, but apparently, she doesn't think so.

She and Hinata have also teamed up to try to get me to confess my love for Sasuke. It's true that I don't hate him anymore, in fact, he's almost a friend, but it's really hard to decide if I loved him. That 'aishiteru' was just a fluke…right? It's just so confusing, I might love him, but I might not.

When I had finally got down the stairs without hurting myself, Ino came up to me and smiled evilly. She pushed me and I would've hit the floor. Except that she had pushed me into Sasuke. My face flushed red and I looked down at my feet, mumbling my thanks. I could imagine his face, chuckling at my expense.

"Come on Shika-kun!!!" Ino took her boyfriend by the arm and dragged him out the door. By this time, no one sweat dropped. It happened too frequently to be surprising anymore. Then Naruto took Hinata and led her out the door, then my Aunt and Uncle….and then we were alone. I could hear the convertible starting up and Ino yelling at me to hurry up.

"Shall we?" Sasuke's perfect onyx eyes stared at my face, provoking a bright pink blush. I nodded numbly and Sasuke took my shaking hand. The boys rode in Sasuke's car while we all rode in Ino's.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

We got to Aunt Kyoko's house in about half an hour. Although it was supposed to take an hour, Ino never seemed to get caught when she speeded. They all stepped out the cars in _pairs_, until only Sasuke and I were left. I refused to take his hand and opted to just walk beside him. Once we got inside, I found out that the party was …just a boring adult convention.

You know, when parents get together with screaming babies and wailing children. They gossip and jabber on about economy, childcare, politics, and all kinds of boring parent stuff. Good thing I didn't really dress up. Except for my ridiculously tall high heels. There were about a dozen other horny teenagers there, and they were all crowding around Ino and Hinata. Good thing Shikamaru and Naruto-kun weren't overly possessive, or else that crowd would be dead in minutes.

Then a bunch of them started to turn their heads toward a new arrival, me. I could see their dirty little minds unclothing me, bit by bit, in their heads. Needless to say, I felt disgusted. Since when do adults invite hormone-high teenagers to these "parties"? They started to head over, probably intending to start worshipping me like they were doing to Ino and Hinata.

"EYES OFF!!"

I jumped a little. Sasuke was glaring at the group that was heading over to me with apparent killing intent. Their faces paled as they recognized who he was and what he would do to them so they scurried off the worship Ino and Hinata again.

I turned to the raven-haired terrorizer.

"Geez Sasuke, you don't have to be so—"

"Possessive?"

Instead of getting embarrassed…I got angry. Very angry.

"I'm not yours Sasuke, you don't own me."

"Who says?"

"Do you even see your frickin' name on my skin anywhere?"

"It will be."

"What?! Are you going to brand it on me or something?"

"You freak."

"So I AM a FREAK. Then why do you even LIKE ME—"

"But you're MY little freak."

I was speechless, again. He smirked and walked away. A few seconds later, the words took their impact and my face flushed red.

"Um…are you okay Sakura? Your face is all red…"

"Huh? Wha? Oh. Ino," I snapped out of my trance and faced her," yeah, I'm alright…it's nothing…"

"Maybe you should go to the bathroom and wash your face a little…"

"Hai..where's the bathroom?"

"Upstairs, the second door to the left."

"Arigatou, Ino."

Then she bounded back to her circle of fanboys, I think that I just saw one of them feed her grapes…

I trudged up to the bathroom and went in, locking the door behind me. I splashed some ice cold water onto my face and shuddered.

"_You freak."_

"_So I AM a FREAK. Then why do you even LIKE ME—"_

"_But you're MY little freak."_

'"…_you're MY little freak…"' _

That phrase kept rebounding in my confused head. I sat down onto the toilet seat cover and sighed. It was still so confusing, I knew that Sasuke loved me, even though he doesn't really show it much, but I definitely know that. I seriously don't know anything about ME anymore though. I should love him, but old habits are hard to ignore. I hated him for years, and suddenly, I might even consider him a friend. Is there something wrong with me? Am I really a freak?

'"…_you're MY little freak…"'_

As soon as I thought that, that phrase came back onto my mind. 'you're MY little freak…' It sounded so…I don't know, a bit creepy. Like I was Frankenstein, and I was a freak. But the scientist who made me calls me '_his_ little freak.'

Now _that _was a really disgusting picture.

I stayed in the bathroom for I don't know how long, thinking about the 'freak' incident and my feelings. I don't know if I could love him. I should, but do I? When I finally looked up, the room was pretty dark and the sun had set already. Everyone was probably pretty worried about me, I had been in the bathroom for hours!

I stood up shakily and opened the door. I trudged down the dark hallway, thinking that this was probably the best scene for a raep or a murder in a horror story. No one was around and one of those horny teenagers might come up any minute. Suddenly, I felt myself pressed up against the wall. My first reaction was to scream, but my mouth was already covered up by someone's hand.

"Freak…"

"Sasuke?!"

"Who else?"

I could see his lips curl up into a smile through the dim light. My mind was frantic, this was not a good situation. Dark hallway, Sasuke Uchiha, young girl…this was a scene straight out of a movie.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing."

"Then let me go."

"No."

I gave him my best glare, but he merely smiled. I could feel his hot breath on my neck, which of course, was making it hard to think straight. Then he did something totally unexpected, but probably predictable.

He started to kiss me.

I shut my mouth, not wanting to give in to him. His obsidian eyes flashed with annoyance and then he smiled again. I think that I just presented him with a challenge. And everyone knows that Sasuke Uchiha loves challenges.

His hand moved up to my waist and traced the outline of my spine, I gasped and then he took that opportunity to force his tongue into my mouth. I shivered a little and brought my hands up to his chest, wanting to push him away, but not finding the strength to. He kept kissing me, even though I was totally unresponsive. Unlike last time, I was thinking, even though it was getting harder by the second.

He moved from my mouth and started to plant wet kisses all along my neck. I shuddered and my back arched into him when he also started to move his hand up and down my back lightly.

His mouth moved up from my neck and along my jaw to my earlobe. His tongues flicked it a little and then went to my mouth again. I was still shivering, my mind was getting clouded and the feeling of his breath on my neck was just way too much to bear.

"S-sasuke…d-don't…."

I tried to talk when he started to trace his tongue lightly over my collarbone. My hands were clutching his shirt tightly, wanting to push him away, but never actually pushing.

"P-please…s-s-stop…."

"Why?"

I shuddered as his hand moved down and ran his fingers over my outer thigh.

"N-not n-now…."

"Fine."

I felt him kiss me one more time and then he left. I opened my eyes and shivered.

I had just been felt up in the hallway by Sasuke Uchiha…and I had enjoyed it.

I closed my eyes and hugged my shoulders tightly. I felt strange, like part of me really wanted to be with him, but another part of me was screaming that it was totally wrong. Like I should hate his guts or something. I wiped off my neck and shoulders and then hurried downstairs.

It was a horrible sight.

All the children were screaming their hearts out and all the parents were shouting at the top of their lungs for God knows what reason. I glanced at the clock, it was already nine! There was still a large group of horny teenagers around Ino and Hinata, feeding them grapes and fanning them with big ostrich feathers. It was a bit unsettling to watch.

I walked over to Ino, careful not to step on an adoring fan along the way.

"Um, Ino?"

"Yeah?"

"What's with all these teenagers?"

"I don't know. They just started to worship me like some goddess or something."

"Don't you feel weird?"

"Why should I? They all love me and are now my blind servants."

"Really…tell them to do something."

"Okay," replied Ino. She turned to the group of boys at her feet, put on a puppy face, and said, "That bad, bad man over there was looking at me…"

She gestured toward a totally innocent bystander who was just keeping an eye on his hormone-high teenager. I looked at the group of guys and saw that they all had flames in their eyes and looked ready to pounce on the poor father. When I gasped, Ino smiled and said, "It's okay though…I'm a big girl…right?"

They all dashed back and lay at her feet once more, dazzled by her blond beauty. She turned toward me and laughed, "See? They're all my mindless slaves."

"I know! You could take over the world like this!"

"Maybe I should try!"

"No…then Hinata's blind slaves would stop you!"

"Then I'll get more blind slaves!"

"Yeah then you guys will enslave the whole teenage population in the world and battle it out!"

"That would be so fun!!"

"But do you seriously think that it would work?"

"I dunno. Let's try!"

With that, Ino turned toward her mindless worshipers and declared, "Today, I'm TAKING OVER THIS WHOLE FRICKIN' WORLD!!! GO SLAVES!!! TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!"

I swear that I saw all of them stand up to attention, whip out pens and papers and start making battle plans. They started organizing themselves and marched toward the door.

"STOP! I'll do that some OTHER day. Get back over HERE!!" yelled Ino. They dashed over and resumed their fervent worship of her. It was totally unreal. I looked over at Hinata and saw that she was curled up on the couch and there were even more boys around her. The only thing that was keeping them at bay was Naruto. I think that I just saw some of them start drooling when they looked at her legs.

I walked over to her and made my way through the maze of fans.

"Are you okay Hinata?"

"No…they all want to raep me….can't you see that?"

I looked at all the boys, they were drooling and licking their lips. Ew.

"Yeah. Man, I'm glad that it's not me."

"This is so…scary…!!"

"Uh..yeah," I was getting freaked out by all the lip-licking and drooling around her, "I think I'll be going now…"

She didn't answer, but was staring with a frightened look at all the approaching boys. I shivered and went to go sit in the corner. Hinata reminded me of..me! At least how I was in the hallway. I thought back to how Sasuke had kissed me and traced his fingers all over my hip. My face grew hot and a pink blush spread over my face.

I felt someone's eyes on me, and I looked up nervously.

Some boy was looking at me and blushing. He had black hair in a bowl cut and HORRENDOUS BUSHY EYEBROWS. My mind was screaming as he made his way toward me. My body was frozen rigid as he approached me and blew me a kiss. I paled and fought the urge to throw up.

"Oof!!"

I saw that he had just been beaten down…by Sasuke?! He got up and glared at the guy with those big, bushy eyebrows. I smiled at him gratefully, got up and walked away. I didn't know where to, just somewhere where that scary, bushy eyebrowed kid wouldn't find me. I opened the screen door and walked out onto the patio. The moon was shining through the clouds and the stars shone down onto the ground. There were no clouds tonight, and a cool autumn breeze blew through the backyard garden and into my hair. I just sat there, in the midst of the beautiful moonlight, leaving the noise of the house behind me, and looked out at the stars…

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

_September 1_

_Dear Diary,_

_We all got home at ten last night, Hinata, Ino and I stayed up past midnight talking about stuff. Hinata was still pretty freaked out about the drooling boys that 'were going to raep her'. Ino was still blabbering on about world domination and I was freaking out about the boy with the bowl-cut hair. When I asked Hinata about it, her eyes went wide. She told me that his name was Rock Lee. Well, his name wasn't really 'rock', but it just sounded cooler that way. He was her cousin's rival. And he was the weirdest and most abnormal person on the planet and I should be careful not to attract his attention. Which of course, I already have. And I know that he's WEIRD and definitely, NOT normal. I mean, those eyebrows looked like they were ALIVE!!! _

_I'm still wondering about Sasuke though. I still can't get that phrase out of my head, 'my little freak'? I guess that I should be smitten, but I'm not. In fact, I still don't know what to feel. Is my brain broken or something?_

_I still can't believe what happened in that hallway yesterday. It's like looking back on a dream, if it wasn't for these light pink marks up and down my neck, then I would've thought that I was dreaming. Sasuke wasn't acting like himself, at least not the Sasuke I knew and was used to. But then again, I don't really even know him too well. _

I walked over to the mirror in the bathroom again. There were only tiny, fading pink marks up and down my neck. I didn't even think that he had kissed me that hard, maybe I was too caught up in the moment. I knew for certain that half of me enjoyed it, but every single time I was near him, one part of my brain would scream that I hated him, that I wanted nothing to do with him.

But I'm pretty sure that's not true.

After he had beat up the bushy brow guy, I didn't see him again for the rest of the night. It was late morning and I haven't even seen him at breakfast either. For some reason…I really missed him. And it wasn't even one day! I sighed miserably and wrapped a pink scarf that I had bought a few weeks earlier around my neck. Even if those marks were light, I didn't want to risk any unwanted attention.

I walked out of the bathroom and ran down the three flights of stairs. Ino was just coming into the house.

"Where were you Ino?"

"Shopping, I found the BEST outfits!!"

"Oh. You want to go swimming later?"

"Hai. How about right after I get these clothes into our room?"

"I'll help."

"Arigatou forehead!"

After we had finally dragged all ten bags of clothes up the stairs, I flopped down onto the bed.

"Whew! I'm tired. Let's just rest a bit."

"Hai…wow…"

"What?"

"Did you ever notice the killer view from down here?"

"Yeah, it's pretty, ne?"

"Yeah…"

We both lay on our beds for a long time, staring at the drifting clouds and daydreaming.

"Now I know why Shika-kun likes to watch clouds so much."

"Yeah…now LET'S GO SWIMMING!!"

Ino smiled and leaped off to her closet to pick out a swimsuit. I went into the bathroom and slipped on a pink bikini with shorts for a bottom. I tied up my hair and wrapped a big beach towel around my body from the chin down. I took my goggles from a drawer and headed out. Ino was standing by the doorway already. I followed her to the underground swimming pool.

We both jumped into the deep water and started to play, splash, swim, and all sorts of stuff. In the middle of one-on-one water polo, the door opened and Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, and Sasuke came in. Hinata was wearing a lavender one-piece that showed off her figure. Shikamaru and Naruto wore swimming trunks but Sasuke was just wearing a regular navy blue shirt and jeans. He still couldn't go into the water yet since his wounds still had to heal. I blushed a little at the thought of Sasuke seeing me in a bikini, but I just shook my head and ducked under the water.

"CANNONBAAAAAAAL!!!!!"

I could hear Naruto scream at the top of his lungs before he took off and jumped into the water. I felt a huge wave carry me all the way to the other end of the swimming pool. Ino was coughing and sputtering from the water that had sprayed all over the place when he landed. A few minutes (yeah, MINUTES!!) later, Naruto rose to the surface and took a big breath. I thought that he had drowned!

After about half an hour, I got tired and crawled out of the swimming pool. I dried myself off and hurried up the stairs. I was blushing crimson because I knew that Sasuke had been looking at me intently when I got out the water. I had felt his black eyes burning into the back of my head and traveling down to my hip.

Stupid horny teenage boy.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

_The summer actually seems a bit normal now._

_Except for one thing._

_I'm MADLY in love with Sasuke Uchiha._

…

**You didn't really believe that, RIGHT?!**

I laughed maniacally as Ino and Hinata pouted. I knew that they were planning to go through my trash sometime soon. They wanted proof that I liked Sasuke. So I just said that I'm going to go write something in my diary. Then I ripped it out and crumpled it up. I locked up my diary and went into the bathroom. After a few moments, I saw Ino and Hinata sneak into the room and dump out the trashcan. They found the piece of paper and laughed evilly.

Then they opened it and actually believed what I had just written, until that last sentence.

I opened the bathroom door, making them jump suddenly.

"You should've seen the look on your faces!! It was PRICELESS!!!"

"Hmph!"

They both pouted and stomped out of the room. I followed them, laughing so hard I thought that I would suffocate. I followed them down the stairs and out the door. Then they turned around and chased me. After a while, they got tired and bounded to the kitchen in search of ice cream. I flopped down onto my bed. It was September 5, the next day, I would start school in Kyoto. Sasuke had left for a trip with his parents for a week and that had given me some time to think.

That what I wrote on the paper…was not entirely untrue…

I'm certainly not _madly_ in love with Sasuke. Maybe I loved him. Just a tiny bit. I missed him a lot during the week, and I still have no idea why. Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Such a cliché ending to this though. I mean, I feel like I'm stuck in an agonizing, angst/romance movie. And I hate those movies, even more than silly, foolish, straight-out romance. Those stories are so painful to watch since they have your heart wrenching and twisting every minute.

Sasuke was supposed to come back today.

It was already night, and I haven't seen him yet. I sighed and walked down the dark hallway. It was just like this last week. A dark hallway, fading light, but no crazy teenagers intent on raeping people downstairs. I stared out the window along the side of the hallway. The sun was sinking into the horizon and the sky was a brilliant mix of pink, purple and blue. I sighed miserably and walked away, only to find myself pressed against the wall and a very familiar hand pressing against my mouth.

"Miss me freak?"

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

ok…yeah fluff. I guess you could say that was fluff. And I'm SO SORRY if Sasuke seemed OOC. And I'm SO SORRY for the agonizingly slow update. I got a serious writer's block but mostly I was waiting to see if I could get 30 reviews. Thanks to awsomeness-iz-a-virtue for your 30th review! I'm shooting for **40 REVIEWS** this time. PLEASE??

moonlight haku

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**


	8. Just A Simple Man

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

**Author's Notes: **Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!!! I'm SO sorry that I didn't update sooner. It's been weeks, hasn't it? Maybe even a month. –rips hair out- I had no idea what would happen in this chapter and now that I look at it, I really stink at angst. Bear with me, there will be one final 'climax' and then this fic will be over! A couple more chapters, folks, and Sakura & Sasuke can (hopefully) live happily (probably not) after!

**Disclaimer: I don't own naruto. But neither do I want to. I just like kidnapping the characters for my stories 8)  
**

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

**Recap: **

I'm certainly not _madly_ in love with Sasuke. Maybe I loved him. Just a tiny bit. I missed him a lot during the week, and I still have no idea why. Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Such a cliché ending to this though. I mean, I feel like I'm stuck in an agonizing, angst/romance movie. And I hate those movies, even more than silly, foolish, straight-out romance. Those stories are so painful to watch since they have your heart wrenching and twisting every minute.

Sasuke was supposed to come back today.

It was already night, and I haven't seen him yet. I sighed and walked down the dark hallway. It was just like this last week. A dark hallway, fading light, but no crazy teenagers intent on raeping people downstairs. I stared out the window along the side of the hallway. The sun was sinking into the horizon and the sky was a brilliant mix of pink, purple and blue. I sighed miserably and walked away, only to find myself pressed against the wall and a very familiar hand pressing against my mouth.

"Miss me freak?"

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

This is the part where I'm supposed to jump up and kiss him or declare my everlasting love for him. But that didn't happen, and nor will it EVER happen in my lifetime. What is he, a genie or something? I just _thought_ that I _possibly_ loved him, and there he is! It's creepy, and oddly enough, annoying to a certain degree. If he's not a genie, do I have a power to grant wishes that aren't supposed to come true? Not likely, then he would've fallen madly in love with me about….four or three years ago. That certainly didn't happen.

"Ok. I've got a question. What is UP with you pressing me against the wall, huh?" I frowned at him.

"I felt like it."

"You do realize that if anyone walked in—"

"They won't"

"How do you know?"

"I made sure of that."

OM—G, what did he do? Kill everyone? He wasn't that evil. Maybe he just knocked everyone unconscious or something. Still, that seemed a bit too extreme.

"I put on a soap opera, freak. You think I killed them or something?"

It was already too late to deny my thoughts. I gave him my best glare, but he just smirked. Ok. This was getting annoying. I looked at him and I swear that I just saw his tongue trace the edges of his lips, he was licking them from the inside! I felt like he was a snake and I was a field mouse that he was about to devour. I shivered a bit; he must've felt it and then his mouth turned down in a slight frown.

"Are you getting cold?"

"You idiot. How can I act normal when you look like you're about to eat me?"

"Or are you just nervous."

"I am NOT!" I flushed a little. How does he always know how to get me irritated?!

"Fine then. Shut up."

"Wha—"

I was cut off by his warm lips. I tried to speak, but he didn't let me. My thoughts started to fade just like the first time he kissed me. No! I thought desperately, this seriously wasn't right. I mean, we can't just make out in the middle of a hallway! I mean, we shouldn't MAKE OUT! My eyes closed for some strange reason, I felt his hands start to move down the middle of my thighs.

"Please…Sasuke! P-please..stop…" I pleaded with him. I didn't want this to happen, not here and definitely not now, for some stupid reason, I felt tears welling up in my eyes. How could he be doing this to me? I thought he would listen to me, maybe stop like the last time.

But he didn't stop.

I could feel his sweaty body pressing closer against my chest as he drew even closer. A distinct tomato like smell rose from his body. It seemed to wake my body up. My arms came down and forcefully pushed him away. I was panting from his touch and I could just imagine what my face looked like right now. My hair was messy and my clothing felt all pushed up. I took a deep breath and glared at him, "How could you..?"

"…"

"You…You BAKA! You could go to Hell for I all care, roast in the fire and all that SHIT! Just get away from me, and don't touch me again! Why wont you understand that I. Hate. People. Like. YOU!!"

He was wordless, just staring at me calmly and maybe with a pinch of regret. I felt tears of anger and frustration stream down my face. Before he could see anything, I ran back into my room and slammed to door. He didn't come after me or try to open the doors. I don't know if I expected him to, but I was glad he didn't. Why had I fallen for _him_? What was so great about him? He's still just a jerk…I sat on the floor against the door and sobbed.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

"…this is how you solve the problem."

I yawned after the teacher explained the problem to the class. Trigonometry is easy stuff, the teacher only explained it so we wouldn't have any excuse to ask him. All he wants to do is read that perverted book of his. One thing I've learned is that the high schools here in Kyoto hire the best teachers, but they all have the worst dispositions. My math teacher, Hatake-sensei…was a very very perverted genius. Yuhi-sensei (Art) and Sarutobi-sensei (History) are in love and thus were often distracted by one another. I mean, they're trying to hide it, but it's just. Not. Working. Then comes Guy-sensei. Ah, good old Guy-sensei. There's only ONE thing that would describe him.

PHSYCOPATH.

He teaches gym and in my opinion, should be sent to a mental institute. I mean, WHAT is so great about YOUTHFULNESS?! He's frickin' obsessed with YOUTH!! The POWER of youth, the JOY of youth, the BLOSSOM of youth…I mean COME ON!!! I was gripping my pencil so hard that the lead splintered off and bounced across the floor. It landed by a certain brown-haired girl's desk.

Great.

I could see silver-eyes looking at the floor in annoyance. She looked over in my direction and scowled. I knew full well that the scowl wasn't about the pencil lead or the trigonometry classwork. It was simply about Sasuke. Yeah, about that JERK. I haven't talked to him for a few weeks. Actually, I haven't really seen him since his college classes started. He usually slept in the dorms and only came back to get fresh clothes. Like I care.

I could feel Kyoko send a death glare in my direction. If only she knew that I didn't even like Sasuke anymore. I mean, I might've, but the hallway incident went over the edge. I could still feel his hands groping me in the dark. Ino and Hinata never found out, in fact, I was asleep by the time that they came in.

Like I care anymore.

Yeah. Now I sound like a total jerk. It's all _his_ fault, I mean, he had to go and RUIN my life. I could've actually liked him! I sighed and looked at my worksheet. It was filled with pencil doodles and whatnot. I erased everything and started on the equation again, it was going to be a long day.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

So there was this princess, okay?

She was stuck in a stone tower with no way to get out or get in. Whoever built this tower must've been totally random, because the princess was stuck up there. There was a mirror and a closet full of pretty clothes for her to wear everyday. At least the architect had a sense of fashion.

Someone came to deliver food everyday, but they were always gone by the time the princess went to look. The princess wanted to see who this person was and how they got up into the tower, so she started to wake up earlier and earlier. But she never saw anyone. One day, she didn't sleep for the whole night and she saw a man climb up the window and drop off her basket of food.

Before she could do or say anything, he was gone.

So the next night, she waited again. The person came again and again, but she could never respond fast enough. Then one day, at the time that person was supposed to come, she heard a bunch of shouting and yelling outside her window. She rushed over and peeked over a little. The nice man was covered in blood and eight or nine other strangers were all dead around him.

The man toppled down.

The princess screamed and jumped out the window.

Apparently whoever made parasols forgot that they really weren't good as parachutes.

So the princess got scraped and her dress was all torn up. She rushed over to the semi-dead man and asked if he was okay. He wasn't and then he died in her arms. She cried miserably an then fainted. Then she found herself in the tower again.

The man was standing by the window, smirking. She asked why he was still alive and he said that he was joking about being all dead. She got angry and pushed him out the window. The sweet music of cracking bones and screaming agony rang in her ears. But she could care less.

He was a totally bogus jerk anyway.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

I woke up in my bed.

What a random dream.

It was totally bogus and idiotic. Strangely enough, it seemed as if the princess' hair was pink, it also seemed like that jerk's hair was black-blue. Kinda like Sasuke's. Great, as if seeing him rather frequently wasn't already enough. Now I have dreams about him.

Maybe I should start taking meds.

I hopped out of bed and rushed to get my stuff ready for school.

Then I remembered that it was Saturday. I didn't like Saturdays, too much time to spend and too little things to do. I don't like doing English or Physics homework and there really wasn't anywhere to go now that winter was here.

Then a nasty ping went through my head.

This Saturday was _especially_ bogus.

It was Sasuke's week off. This meant that I would see the Lord of All Jerks hang around the house. Wonderful. Just Wonderful.

Ino and Hinata are happy because it means that they can see their boyfriends again. Both of them are so up high on 'Couple Mountain' that I'm thinking about sending a rescue team to knock them back into reality. They didn't even notice that I'm purposefully avoiding Sasuke.

But then again, there wasn't really a time that I wasn't avoiding him.

Anyhow, I slipped on a thin turtleneck and capris and then ran downstairs for breakfast. Everyone else was gone. By everyone else, I meant everyone but Sasuke.

He didn't count as 'someone'.

I stuffed a piece of buttered toast in my mouth and ran back upstairs. Obviously Sasuke loves to irk me, he was in the kitchen holding the butter and the only two pieces of toast left. I had to touch his hand to get them. Totally random.

Then I put on my puffy blue jacket and ran outside. There was snow everywhere and I felt like going somewhere. Actually, I felt like going anywhere but here. Sasuke was in the house and that just made everything worse. I started to walk along the streets and then, it started to snow. It wasn't snowing very hard, it only looked like a bunch of sugar coming down from the sky.

I stuck out my tongue and caught one, it was icy and it melted instantly on my tongue. I started to laugh, which I haven't done in a long time. I started to twirl around and dance in the snow, it was like being a small child again. Being rid of all my burdens and despairs. Like I was free again, free of my hatred, free of all my impurities, free of all my guilt and shame. I licked my lips, tasting the melted snow on them. It tasted a bit weird, a bit salty for some reason.

I looked over at the park and saw kids running around throwing snowballs and making snowangels. I used to be like that, until I saw Sasuke, then my whole life had revolved around him. There had been no time for playing, frolicking or just being a kid. I schemed, planned, and dreamed about getting near him.

But now that I am, I can't help but feel…unfulfilled.

I feel guilty.

Even more ashamed.

I mean, he saved my life, right? He is just a normal person, no matter how he acts or looks. I know that he's had a hard life, but how could I say something so mean? Tears started to stream down my face and I looked at the sky, it seemed to be crying white tears.

' "_You…You BAKA! You could go to Hell for I all care, roast in the fire and all that SHIT! Just get away from me, and don't touch me again! Why won't you understand that I. Hate. People. Like. YOU!!" '_

I bit my lip…now that I thought about it…it seemed painfully obvious that I was overreacting. More salty tears streamed over my face and the melted snow started to mix with them. I didn't want to think about this, I didn't want to think about that painful moment. I didn't want to..it hurt. It hurt that he tried to take control of me..but it hurt more that I had said those words to him.

_Why can't I ever understand that maybe the great Sasuke Uchiha was just a simple man? _

I heard a low chuckle come from the back and I whipped around. In all her devilish glory, Kyoko, president of Sasuke Uchiha fanclub was standing before me.

"Aw…is the poor girlfriend crying? Did her boyfriend kick her stupid ass out of the house? Don't worry, honey, Kyoko's got JUST the right place for you."

Something hit me hard in the back of my head and everything went fuzzy.

Then the world went black.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

So there was this girl, okay?

She had a beautiful pink silk cloak that her mother made for her. Everyone in her village called her Sakura. She had no real name, since she went by Sakura because of her cloak. She seemed sweet and innocent, just like a cherry blossom.

But Sakura was not a nice girl.

So one day, her granny got sick and Little Sakura had to bring nice, warm muffins to her. She didn't feel like it, but since there was nothing to do on that totally random and bogus day, she decided to give her poor mother a little break from her devilish antics. So she happily went down the road, ignoring her mother's warnings to stay on the road.

She went off onto a meadow and played there for several hours. She got hungry and decided to eat one of the muffins in her basket. Granny would be okay if she took one or two muffins. So she ate her muffin happily and went on her way again. This time, a wolf came and joined her. She began talking with it and found that it was nice and friendly. It had no interest in eating humans and it only ate animals and such.

Sakura started to notice that the wolf was starting to shed his fur. She asked why and he said that he was a werewolf. He could turn from human to wolf, but it took some time. She was disgusted by the idea and left him. He chased after her, asking why she was running.

She turned around and yelled that she didn't want to be friends with a stupid, ugly werewolf. The werewolf stopped chasing her and slinked away miserably. Sakura ran all the way to her Granny's house after that.

When Sakura was coming back from her Granny's the next day, a she-wolf came and ripped open her chest.

She woke up the next day in that original werewolf's house. He had bandaged her wounds and was taking care of her. She was totally confused and anything but grateful. She demanded to know if he was the one who sent the she-wolf to kill her and then demanded that he get out of her sight.

When he didn't, she finally broke down and sobbed. She asked him why he had saved her, why did he do it? She was so mean to him, just because he was different. She looked up at him and he smiled sadly and said, "_Because I fell in love with you._"

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

"…what are we going to do with her?"

"Dispose of her. She tried to take my Sasuke."

"Dispose of her? We can't kill her."

"Then do SOMETHING! She tried to take MY Sasuke, and that will NEVER go unpunished."

"But…President…"

"Oh, whatever. If YOU won't to this, then I WILL!"

"..but…"

"SILENCE!"

I opened my eyes a little and I saw that I was in some dingy room with a flickering light. My head felt fuzzy and dead, I couldn't think of anything except that I had been kidnapped. I closed my eyes again and the blackness enveloped me.

-

--

---

I woke up.

A bright light half-blinded my vision and I closed my eyes again. I heard a gasp and the sound of quick footsteps.

"She's awake!"

Another set of footsteps appeared, hurrying across the room toward me. I winced when I heard the sharp clacking sound, it was resonating through my head, giving me another massive headache. I opened my eyes groggily and stared up. Everything seemed too shiny and blurry. It felt like looking through wax paper except a hundred times worse. I closed my eyes again.

Then I heard a familiar voice asking if I was alright. I tried to respond, but my face felt like it was on fire…like it was burning. I move my lips, but nothing came out. I didn't care anymore, I mean I totally hurt a guy that didn't deserve it and then I was punished.

Maybe Kyoko just gave me what I deserved anyway.

The voice seemed to be breaking, speaking hurridely as if they couldn't hold back tears or something. I opened my tired eyes and looked up. The bright shiny light pierced through my vision and pain shot through my head. I looked to my right, trying to get away from the light and figure out who the person was.

Even though my vision was blurry and my eyes felt like they were about to disingrate…I dimly recognized the person. I just couldn't remember their name Then I felt them lean closer, as if trying to see if I was alright or something

A familiar smell wafted across my face.

The smell of tomatoes.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

**Author's Notes: **Mweh he he he…cliché no justu! I detest cliches and therefore, there will be no happy happy ending like in Harry Potter. I mean, seriously. I didn't think J.K. Rowling would write such a happy happy ending. I mean, COME ON!! It was so unrealistic and totally BOGUS. My apologies to anyone who happened to like it. Anyway, one more chapter and it's over guys! I will get the last chapter out soon and I WILL write a oneshot semi-sequel. Just to make it a bit more happy. Thanks for reading and KEEP REVIEWING[shooting for…**65**** reviews**!! I know…rather bold of me 8) oh, and thanks to hanyou-samurai  for all your wonderful reviews!

moonlight haku

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**


	9. If This Is Love

**Author's Notes: **I'm disappointed. Most of the reviews were annonymous (not that I don't love you!), but even so, if HALF of all you people who favorited this reviewed, then it would've reached 65. Okay, here's the ending. Don't blame me if you hate this :P

**Disclaimer: Never owned Naruto, never will, -drags the characters off for another fic-**

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

**Recap:**

I woke up.

A bright light half-blinded my vision and I closed my eyes again. I heard a gasp and the sound of quick footsteps.

"She's awake!"

Another set of footsteps appeared, hurrying across the room toward me. I winced when I heard the sharp clacking sound, it was resonating through my head, giving me another massive headache. I opened my eyes groggily and stared up. Everything seemed too shiny and blurry. It felt like looking through wax paper except a hundred times worse. I closed my eyes again.

Then I heard a familiar voice asking if I was all right. I tried to respond, but my face felt like it was on fire…like it was burning. I move my lips, but nothing came out. I didn't care anymore, I mean I totally hurt a guy that didn't deserve it and then I was punished.

Maybe Kyoko just gave me what I deserved anyway.

The voice seemed to be breaking, speaking hurriedly as if they couldn't hold back tears or something. I opened my tired eyes and looked up. The bright shiny light pierced through my vision and pain shot through my head. I looked to my right, trying to get away from the light and figure out who the person was.

Even though my vision was blurry and my eyes felt like they were about to disintegrate…I dimly recognized the person. I just couldn't remember their name Then I felt them lean closer, as if trying to see if I was all right or something

A familiar smell wafted across my face.

The smell of tomatoes.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

Obviously Kyoko hated my guts.

Because now _I'm_ the one in the hospital. The bright clean hospital filled with antibacterial cleanser and killer viruses. Oh joy.

What did I ever do to her?

Oh, wait.

I took _her _Sasuke. Well, it's not like I have him anymore for that matter. I mean, I said the meanest words that I have ever said to _him_. There must be something wrong with me.

My face still feels like it's on fire.

-

--

---

So there was this princess, right?

When she was born, her father and mother invited all these nice fairies to bless her. But they forgot to invite the last fairy, which was totally idiotic. So the baby princess was blessed with all kinds of stuff, but then the mean old fairy showed up unannounced and ruined everything.

Totally random.

She cursed the princess to die on her sixteenth birthday. When the queen and king begged her to reverse it, she refused. It was their punishment for not inviting her. Since the queen looked so distraught, the last little fairy used all her power to make it so the princess would only fall asleep.

So little Sakura grew up under those conditions.

On her sixteenth birthday, the mean old fairy showed up and knocked her over the head. Then she drugged her and tried to drown her. The little fairy rescued her and put her in bed for the prince to find. Then she put a sleeping spell on the whole castle so they would only wake up when the prince came.

One hundred years later, the prince came and fought his way into the castle. When he finally reached to the princess' bedroom, he saw the princess' face.

She was totally ugly.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

I opened my eyes slowly. The headache was mostly gone and my eyes didn't hurt that much anymore, but my face still felt like it was burning. I closed my eyes again, the bright hospital light made me eyes way too tired and besides, what was there to see anyway?

Sasuke came last night.

Or was it a minute ago?

I can't tell time anymore, I just drift off into space randomly and I can't seem to feel anything but the burning on my face. It's a dull burn, hardly enough to make me scream…but it makes me nervous. What did she do to me?

-

--

---

It's not getting better.

I haven't been studying medicine for four years just to have fun.

I know from the flat tone of the doctor's that there's something wrong with me. That flat tone is what doctors use when they don't want to show any emotion, they don't want to make everything worse by showing that they too, have feelings.

That flat tone is what scares me.

-

--

---

It's been weeks.

I can tell now. There's a calendar next to my bed and each day was marked off with a red slash. There's always an empty coffee mug there and a tomato-like smell always lingers there. But I haven't really _seen_ Sasuke since I was here.

I can't face him right now.

After what I said, did I truly deserve to have him anymore? At the beginning of the summer, everything was alright, I just had to get through the summer and avoid him, just like a normal teenager.

Then I had to go and fall for him. I mean literally. Then, when I had no time to think, I decided to take a nice trip to downtown Kyoto. I'm supposed to be a smart person, but going to downtown Kyoto and getting lost was not a smart move. Then I had to let myself get cornered by a bunch of thugs, and I had to watch when _he_ came.

It's all my stupid fault that I'm here in the first place.

I mean, the only reason Kyoko came after me was because of that little episode in the hospital.

I just _had_ to do that.

I can't do anything right—I can't even keep myself alive and healthy. I can't do anything even when others are always looking out for me. I'm totally and utterly unnecessary.

Is this the feeling of hopelessness?

-

--

---

I sat by the window. The gentle afternoon sun was coming through the glass and falling onto my icy hands. They didn't warm up though, nothing would.

I've been here for a few weeks and that has given me plenty of time to think. It's given me more than enough time, actually. I haven't seen Sasuke yet, only faint wisps of his smell and the disappearing form when I wake up. The coffee mug is still there and the smell is as strong as ever.

He still has to go to college, besides…why should he even wasted his time with me?

The lock on my door clicked open.

I didn't turn around—I knew full well who would be coming through that door. Maybe if I ignored him…he would go away? But I knew that he wouldn't be dissuaded so easily.

I heard him walk slowly into the room, dropping his heavy backpack and slipping off the navy blue jacket that he always wore. He sat down on a chair near me and said nothing. I didn't want to see him, I didn't want to face him after everything that happened.

I didn't want him to see me like this.

But I knew that it was a lie.

I didn't want to see him because I was ashamed an I felt worthless…but I needed to see him. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, to face the memories of shame and guilt that had been building up for days…

"So…you're up…how are you feeling?"

I blinked away tears to this, Sasuke's asking me if I'm alright. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, something that I would've died for…once. Now I just couldn't answer, if I did, I was sure that my voice would come out as a choked sob and then I would be weak all over again. I'm not going to be weak again.

Not ever.

Certainly not in front of him.

I could feel his gentle gaze on my face, searching my pale features for any emotion. I was sure that my cheeks were red and that my eyes were glassy from fever and tears. My skin was pale and gaunt now…the unfortunate result of digesting large doses of drugs. I was skinny, skinnier than Ino had ever been, but that just made me even uglier.

The worst thing was my face.

Kyoko must've had a lot of fun with it. There was a long, burning scar running down from the edge of my right eye to the edged of my chin. She probably had a good night's sleep after she slit the side of my face open. I wouldn't have really cared too much; but the worst thing was that other people just gawked whenever they saw me.

I don't want Sasuke to see me like this.

I don't want him to see me as a defenseless weakling, a child that has to be protected.

Why am I so weak?

A tear tumbled down my burning cheek despite my defenses. My vision started to get blurry as more and more tears started to come out. No..why was this happening? I promised myself that I would be strong, that I would be someone that never needed to be protected, someone that actually did the right thing for a change.

Someone who was useful.

A sob came out of my throat, I wanted to hold it back, to show him that I could be strong too. That I could be someone that didn't waver at the slightest setback, someone that would be deserving of him. Someone that would understand, someone who could actually think.

Someone who wouldn't be so stupid.

I started to cry softly, trying to hold back, trying to stop the flow of tears from my eyes. It hurt…it hurt so much thinking about how I must look right now, thinking about how stupid and worthless I was…it hurt thinking about how Sasuke must hate me right now.

I heard him get up, yeah, probably to go away, to get away from my stupidness, to get away from me. Then something light and warm brushed my cheeks. I looked up, Sasuke was standing right next to me with an unreadable expression on his face. It seemed to be anger, sadness, and regret all rolled up into one.

He was staring at my cheeks, staring at all the signs of weakness and shame flowing down my face. He bent down and touched my cheek, a look of worry flashed through his eyes.

"You're burning up…" he murmured softly. I just stared at him, willing him to go away, not wanting to look at the sympathy and pity in his eyes. I don't want to be pitied. I don't need his sympathy. Besides, haven't I already promised myself that I would be strong? That I would be someone that could look out for herself?

But at the same time, a weak voice in my mind was begging him to stay, begging him to just show me that everything could go back to what it was, what it was before I ruined it. His sad expression made my breath hitch; I've never seen this type of expression on his face before…he never showed his feelings to someone. The only things I remember on his face were love…but mostly just lust.

He looked at me at eye level, wiping my tears away gently. He came closer, brushing his lips along my cheek. I flinched, the memory of that day…that hallway…it just wouldn't go away. I couldn't stand being near him like this, I didn't want to feel so scared, so vulnerable again. I backed away, shaking like a leaf. He stared at me miserably, his voice cracking as he said, "Sakura…"

"P-please…j-just go…p-please…" I shut my eyes, willing the awful images in my head to just go away, willing my body to stop shaking and shivering, trying to be stronger. I could hear him sigh and walk across the room. He picked up his backpack and hoisted it over his shoulder and stepped out the door.

Before he left, he looked at me one more time, looking at my pitiful and shaking form. Then he left without a word, leaving me to my miserable thoughts. It wasn't until he left that I noticed one thing.

He left his jacket behind.

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

I looked at his lifeless jacket as it slid off the chair and onto the floor. Sasuke never leaves his jacket behind—he even brought it to the beach once. He would never forget it unless something was really distracting him.

Something big.

A tiny voice in the back of my mind prodded me to get up and give it back to him. But I couldn't, wouldn't listen to that voice. It was the same voice that got me in trouble so many times—it was that tiny voice that suggested that I go outside, that I scream at Sasuke for what he did—or almost did—that I should get away from him. Now it wants me to go and actually talk to him.

As if.

My legs were still shaking and a bead of cold sweat ran down the side of my cheek. The fresh scar burned. I stared at the place he had last been, his voice resonating in my mind. He had actually sounded sad…he actually seemed like he regretted something.

It sounded like I had broken his heart.

The thought frightened me. I hurt his feelings? Me, Sakura Haruno, never been in a relationship, hasn't kissed anyone (except for Sasuke) and the poster-girl of Japanese geekdom. And I did that to him? It was an awful realization; I always thought that I was a good person, someone who only made small mistakes—the kind that everyone makes. I never thought that I would ever really hurt someone.

_What have I done…?_

-

--

---

So there was this girl, okay?

She was nice and pretty, or so she thought. She always did the dishes and all the chores for her stepmother and stepsisters. In her spare time, she studied and pranced around in front of a dirty, cracked mirror. Her hair was pink, so everyone called her Sakura.

One day, an invitation came from the palace for a three-day ball in which the prince would choose his bride. Sakura and all her stepsisters went. Even though Sakura hated the prince, her fairy godmother forced her to go; saying that it would good for her.

So she dressed up a bit and got into her big pumpkin carriage. Seriously, sometimes fairy godmothers think of the weirdest things. She rode all the way to the castle and went in.

The prince saw her and fell in love with her. They started to talk and Sakura found out that he wasn't really and mindless bimbo after all. After the strike of midnight, the pumpkin carriage disappeared and Sakura had no way to get home. It was snowing and it was freezing outside.

The prince offered a room in his castle.

Sakura accepted.

That night, the prince went to his parents and started to plan the wedding. Sakura found out and went into a rage. She stormed in and started to scream at him, saying that she would never actually marry him and that she hated him in the first place.

To say that the prince was surprised would be an understatement.

So Sakura made her fairy godmother transport her to a land far, far away and then she married a green ogre whose name was Shrek.

Weird how these fairy tales are, aren't they?

---

--

-

Ok…

That was a weird dream.

A very weird dream.

To say that it was weird would be an understatement.

Just like saying that the prince was surprised would be an understatement.

And…oh whatever. This isn't working. I've been thinking of every possible way to distract myself, and it's definitely not working. Whenever I sleep, all these strange remaking of fairy tales appear. They all seem to be twisted and wrong; especially since the girl/main character always turns out to be jerk. And she always has pink hair.

Pink hair and turquoise eyes, in fact.

Wonderful, now I'm officially a princess who can't take a joke, a girl who only cared about looks, a princess who was ugly and now, a girl that overreacts. The scary thing is, they all describe me perfectly.

I can't take a joke—especially if it comes from Sasuke. Just like that facelift thing, he did say that it was a joke. And only caring about looks…that certainly seems to be true. I only card about what Sasuke looked like, not how he acted or what his life was like….and I certainly am ugly now. And the overreaction. That is definitely me.

I can't take this anymore.

I can't just stay in this antibacterial room waiting for more anesthetics and painkillers. I can't just wait here, stuck with an I.V. twenty-four seven waiting for this depression to pass. I can't just lock myself here. But I can't come out. I can't come out and face the world bravely, I can't face _him_.

Why can't he just forget about me?

Why can't he just forget everything I did, just forget who I am…just so that this pain in my heart would go away?

But no, he comes here everyday, doing his homework or just watching me until visiting hours are over. Why can't he understand how painful it is for me to see him? But, I know that I need him here. No matter what I say, I need him. He's the only one that seems to remember who I am. To the doctors, I'm the psychotic young woman, to the others in the world, I don't even exist anymore.

Even Ino doesn't want to see me anymore.

Maybe once every couple of days, always just for a few minutes, then its back to her 'dear Shikamaru' as she always says. Hinata left Kyoto for private instruction somewhere unknown and Naruto is too busy writing to her and studying.

Even I don't know myself anymore.

I can't seem to remember the happy days, the days when I used to go to school, when I used to be happy and carefree in my hate of Sasuke.

If this is what love is about—all these trials and tribulations, these heartbreaks and sorrows—then I want no part in it.

---

--

-

I looked at the jacket again. Sasuke never seemed to notice it when he was here. I reached out to touch it, the soft smell of tomatoes and fruit reached my nose. I stiffened. The smell made me nervous, it reminded me of _him. _I threw the jacket onto the bed, but I missed and it fell onto the floor.

It made a light thud, more like a box than a jacket. I scrambled up and snatched it off the floor. Something wrapped in pink wrapping paper fell out. It had a blue ribbon around it and the dead stem of a flower.

It must've been here for days!

My hands started to tremble as I read the tag. It had my name on it in the elegant spidery script that Sasuke always wrote in. It was a bit faded, but I could make out the tints of pink long the edges of the paper.

I opened the wrapping paper slowly, just wanting to take a peek, nothing more. A fuzzy pink box slipped out. It was one of those jewelry boxes. My throat stiffened and I could feel tears coming.

No.

I'm not going to open that box.

No.

I'm not going to be hurt again.

No.

Despite what my tired mind said, my trembling hand flipped open the box and then I saw it.

A white gold charm bracelet with one pink charm on it. There was a red tomato one lying next to it. My breath hitched. I blinked tears from my eyes as a slip fell out of the box.

_Forgive me?_

A shadow fell across my lap and I looked up with tears streaming down my face. It was Sasuke, staring at the box in my hands and my trembling arms. I blinked a few times and whispered, " Sas-Sasuke…?"

Then I looked at the jacket strewn on the floor.

"Oh…I'm sorry. I'll get it—"

"Wait."

I stiffened at his voice. It was strange to me now, I haven't heard his voice for so long. I never talked to him during his visits, I only ignored him, blinking away tears and holding back sobs. I had forgotten how silky smooth it sounded.

"Wh-what..?"

Then I realized that I had dropped the bracelet onto the floor. I started t obend down to get it but a pale hand wrapped around mine. I jumped, startled that he had touched my hand. I stared at him, the tears falling onto the floor. His black eyes were full of emotion, looking at me, trying to see if he hurt me, if I could possibly forgive him.

"Will you?" He gulped slightly, "Forgive me..?"

"I—I…" _forgive you…_"don't know…"

I closed my eyes, wanting to erase the look that just came across Sasuke's face. His hand left mine and he straightened up. I knew that feeling, that piercing, painful feeling in your chest. He started to get up and walk away. Every step was getting farther and farther away, as if he was leaving him. My body just froze at the sight of him with his back turned, shoulders shaking ever so slightly. I stared at him, not knowing anything, just knowing that I didn't want him to leave.

I knew that I ignored him, I knew that I didn't deserve him, I knew that I had hated him before.

But that was then.

And this is now.

He had asked me to forgive him, asked me to look over what he did to me, asked me to just forget it all. Isn't this what I wanted in the first place? Why did I have to mess this up, why did I have to break his heart a second time?

Doesn't he deserve to be loved just as much as me? I watched as every single step took him farther and farther away from me. For once, maybe I'll listen to this little voice. Maybe I'll run after him. It's not reasonable, or understandable, but I know what that voice is.

It is the voice beyond all reason and understanding.

For who can understand love?

If this love led to all these trials and tribulations, all these sorrows and heartbreaks, then what is beyond all that? Surely it cannot just be that suffering. It's something more.

If love led me through all that, then I'm at the end of this trip. I've had enough to last a lifetime, to last an eternity.

Now I just want this.

Just. One. Moment.

One moment where I could be in his arms, when I could just forget that anything had ever happened. One moment when my face wouldn't bear this ugly scar, one moment, where everything would be normal again.

I will listen to this voice one last time.

Just for him.

**The End **

**---------------------------.oOo.---------------------------**

**Author's Note: **Look, I warned you. I don't like those endings where they end up kissing and all that. Besides, you probably know what she's going to do. So I won't write it out. I tried, I seriously tried to make it a happy ending. I TRIED, OKAY?! I just don't write happy endings. They make me sick. And what happens to our beloved Sakura and Sasuke? Well, the oneshot will be on my profile as soon as the review thingabobber reaches **65**. Just a BIT more. It will have a happy ending in that follow-up. I know that you guys now hate me forever and you'll tell me that they're all OOC. Well, they're not. See, even though I don't really like Sakura, you have to admit, she can be serious and depressed. Just look at the Forest of Death scene, and after the timeskip. She can totally be serious and depressed. Nya.

See you in another fic (and the following oneshot)!

moonlight haku, _signing out_.


End file.
